title: A new surgical approach to treat medial or low condylar fractures: the minor parotid anterior approach.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A new surgical approach, denoted as the minor parotid anterior approach, was designed to treat medial or low mandibular condylar fractures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty patients (72 sides) with medial or low condylar fractures were treated surgically. Thirty-six patients (42 sides) were treated with the minor parotid anterior approach, and 24 patients (30 sides) were treated with a retromandibular approach. Data on the surgical procedures and complications were recorded. The follow-up period was 3 to 12 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four patients suffered facial nerve injury in the group treated with the retromandibular approach. No cases of facial nerve injury occurred in the minor parotid anterior approach group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The minor parotid anterior approach avoided facial nerve injury, resulted in less visible facial scarring, and required less manipulation time. Therefore, the minor parotid anterior approach is worth application in the clinical setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Tingting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jing
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Long
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Weidong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. Electronic address: drliulei@163.com.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008335:Mandibular Condyle / Q000293:injuries*; D008337:Mandibular Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010306:Parotid Gland; D016896:Treatment Outcome