The surgical management of extra-articular ankylosis in noma patients

Publication date: Available online 10 August 2018

Source: International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Author(s): E.M. Rüegg, D. Baratti-Mayer, A. Jaquinet, D. Montandon, B. Pittet-Cuénod

Abstract

Extraarticular ankylosis occurs frequently in children suffering from noma sequelae. Over 20 years of operating on these patients, we observed high recurrence of mouth opening limitation. We therefore progressively changed our surgical strategy. This retrospective study compares the impact of different parameters (types of surgery, noma type, physiotherapy compliance, age and sex) on immediate and long-term mouth opening. It includes a series of 121 patients with extraarticular ankylosis operated on between 1990 and 2015. Soft tissue reconstruction evolved from local and pedicled flaps to large free flaps. Mouth opening was performed by bone-bridge excision, sometimes associated to contralateral coronoidectomy. Mouth opening technique including bilateral coronoidectomy with free flap reconstruction was the only independent factor for significantly better immediate mouth opening with a mean increase of 8.7 mm [95% confidence interval (CI) 4.3–13.1, P < 0.001) and this effect was maintained in the 3 years of follow-up. Another positive factor related to long-term results was excellent physiotherapy, while noma type 4 was a negative factor. Recurrence remains problematic in the management of noma sequelae. If physiotherapy and long-term follow-up cannot be offered, patients should not be operated on, because if limitation of mouth opening recurs, oral feeding may become impossible when a facial defect has been reconstructed.

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