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Abstract Introduction Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction is an increasingly prevalent condition affecting 31% of adults and 11% of children/adolescents. Initial management is usually conservative with physiotherapy, diet modification, analgesics, and education. 5-10% of patients require surgical treatment. TMJ arthroscopies allows minimally invasive surgery for joints with early degenerative changes. The purpose is to provide symptomatic relief and improve function. Aim To evaluate clinical outcomes 3 months post TMJ surgery. Method Retrospective data was collected from the notes of all patients who underwent procedures between February 2019 and August 2023. Data collected included pain/diet scores, mouth opening, Wilkes staging, clinical diagnosis and the use of intra-articular Platelet Rich Plasma or steroid injections. Results 147 procedures were undertaken. The average age was 43 with an 83.0% female predominance. Overall, 1 arthroplasty, 1 eminectomy, 11 total joint replacements and 134 arthroscopies with/without arthrocentesis were performed with positive results. Mouth opening scores increasing from an average of 27.4mm to 29.5mm, diet scores from 5.8 to 7.5 and pain scores reducing from 7.1 to 4.4. At the 3 month follow up, 53 patients were planned for further monitoring, 32 discharged, 9 listed for a further arthroscopy and 15 for a TMJ replacement. Conclusions Surgical management provides good outcomes and Level 2 arthroscopy is an essential tool in the armamentarium. Development of an integrated physiotherapy pathway as well as educational leaflets has been vital. Educational Leaflets improved patient experience with re-audit results showing positive outcomes. Involvement of clinical psychologists is required for a multidisciplinary approach.
Amin et al. (Mon,) studied this question.