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Chondromalacia as pathological finding in arthroscopy of the temporomandibular joint: A retrospective study
Rafael Martin-Granizo1, Diana Carolina Correa-Muñoz2
1Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Calle del Prof. Martin Lagos, S/N 28040 Madrid, Spain.
Objective:
The objective of this study was to describe the arthroscopic findings of chondromalacia and its relation with the internal derangement of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).
Patients And Methods:
A total of 161 patients (299 TMJs) who underwent arthroscopy were included in the study. The TMJs were evaluated objectively under arthroscopic vision, and 4 groups of patients were established according to the degree of involvement, degree I, II, III and IV. Statistical analyses were conducted using logistic regression models (P < 0.05).
Results:
It was observed that 95 patients (59%) had no sign of chondromalacia and 66 (41%) in 88 joints exhibited some degree of chondromalacia (44 patients unilaterally and 22 bilaterally). Of the 88 joints with chondromalacia, 14 (15.9%) had chondromalacia degree I, 12 (13.6%) chondromalacia degree II, 20 (22.7%) chondromalacia degree III and 42 (47.7%) chondromalacia degree IV. The chondromalacia was more significantly found in patients with ADDwR and discal perforation (P < 0.05), even as a common finding in patients without any internal deragement. Chondromalacia degree IV was a significant finding in cases of ADDwoR (P = 0.000619).
Conclusions:
Chondromalacia of the TMJ is a common finding in patients with internal derangement even at the early stages.
