Assessment of condylar fractures associated with mandibular fossa and/or tympanic plate fractures.

Mandibular fractures are frequently diagnosed in trauma centres. Tympanic plate and mandibular fossa fractures can be associated with those fractures and can pass unnoticed if a careful evaluation and adequate imaging exam are not performed. This descriptive study was made to evaluate the incidence of condylar fractures associated with mandibular fossa and/or tympanic plate fractures in a large trauma hospital. Twenty-nine patients were diagnosed with such fractures between July/2019 and July/2020. A total of 81.5% of the patients were diagnosed with condylar fracture associated with tympanic plate fracture, 11.1% with a condylar fracture with mandibular fossa fracture, and 7.4% with condylar fracture associated with both tympanic plate and mandibular fossa fracture. Otorrhagia, trismus, malocclusion, and mouth opening deviation were the most observed clinical signs. Treatments performed were speech therapy, open reduction, and closed reduction. A total of 7.4% of the patients evolved with complications after the treatment. This study suggests that fractures of the tympanic plate and mandibular fossa may go unnoticed if an adequate imaging exam is not performed and rated by the surgeon. The early and corrected treatment prevents future sequelae, and a long-term follow up is essential.

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