title: Vertical fracture of mandibular condyle treated with intra-articular pumping therapy: a case report.
abstract: We report a patient with vertical fracture of the mandibular condyle visualized by computed tomography (CT). A 43-year-old woman visited our department the day after the injury occurred. At the initial examination, she experienced pain in the left temporomandibular joint (TMJ) when opening her mouth. Maximum mouth opening distance was 15 mm. Routine radiography showed normal findings, but CT revealed vertical fracture of the left mandibular condyle. Based on clinical findings, conservative therapy consisting of intra-articular pumping therapy and training for mouth opening was initiated. After 10 days, mouth opening distance increased to 36 mm, and pain in the left TMJ disappeared.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Tokyo Dental College, Mihama-ku, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Hakubun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yonezu
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yakushiji
authors.forename: Ken'ichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suga
authors.forename: Nobuo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takano
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Uchiyama
authors.forename: Mamoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wakoh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008335:Mandibular Condyle / Q000293:injuries*; D008337:Mandibular Fractures / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D019152:Paracentesis / Q000379:methods*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D013704:Temporomandibular Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed