[Transoral coronoidectomy: Technical note]

Among the skeletal causes of limited mouth opening, uni- or bilateral coronoid process hypertrophy, or Langenbeck disease, is the most frequent. It can be associated with an osteochondroma or a coronoid-malar bone conflict and is then called Jacob disease, an unilateral pathology. Treatment rests on coronoidectomy in both cases. This technique is illustrated via two cases, one Langenbeck and one Jacob disease.

A transoral approach was performed. After subperiosteal dissection, the coronoid process was cleared. The process was than severed at its base by means of a burr, freed from its temporal muscular fibers and removed. Mouth opening improved peroperatively. The surgical procedure was completed by active long-term physiotherapy beginning immediately after surgery.

Transoral coronoidectomy is a simple, quick and safe procedure. Extra-oral approaches present a high risk of facial nerve injury. In our first case, mouth opening improved from 24 to 36 mm after bilateral coronoidectomy and to 40 mm after physiotherapy. In our second case, mouth opening improved from 22 to 38 mm after unilateral coronoidectomy and to 43 mm after one year physiotherapy. Long-term post-operative physiotherapy is mandatory to get and maintain good results.