An Innovative Surgical Method For Temporomandibular Joint Disc Repositioning

This study innovatively utilizes 20ml syringe needle to guide sutures through a tragus notch incision, enabling the repositioning and fixation of the anteriorly displaced disc. A brand-new surgical method. A combined tragus incision and tragus notch incision approach was employed for temporomandibular joint disc repositioning surgery. The procedure involved designing a 2cm incision along the tragus skin, followed by exposing the joint disc. The disc was repositioned using a double-needle suture technique. A 20ml syringe needle was inserted through a 3mm tragus notch incision into the joint cavity, and the suture was guided out through the built-in channel of the syringe. The same process was repeated for the second needle. Finally, the sutures were secured, and the incisions were closed. Three-month postoperative outcomes demonstrated excellent clinical efficacy: all 34 treated TMJ discs maintained stable repositioning, with a mean maximal mouth opening of 35.8 mm (normal functional range achieved) and 100% pain resolution. Conventional arthroscopic techniques are often limited by expensive instrumentation and potential iatrogenic external auditory canal injuries (reported 8-12% infection rate). In contrast, our syringe-guided method reduces equipment costs, eliminates ear canal-related complications, and requires only standard surgical instruments. This economically viable approach significantly enhances procedural accessibility, particularly for primary hospitals in developing regions, without compromising surgical outcomes. This syringe-guided approach is a straightforward, effective, and minimally invasive solution for irreducible TMJ disc displacement, delivering consistent therapeutic success.