Endoscopically Assisted Intraoral Coronoidectomy for Treatment of Coronoid Hyperplasia

Hyperplasia of the coronoid process of the mandible is a rare condition defined as an abnormal and progressive elongation of the coronoid process (unilateral or bilateral). Jacob disease is the name given to a pseudo-joint formation between the coronoid process and the zygomatic bone. The main clinical finding is a progressive, painless difficulty in opening the mouth, due to contact of the coronoid process with the posterior surface of the zygomatic bone or the medial surface of the zygomatic arch. To restore the mouth opening in a stable manner, resection of the elongated coronoid process followed by physiotherapy is the only effective treatment. Surgery (coronoidetomy or coronoidectomy) can be performed through intraoral or extraoral access. Intraoral coronoidectomy is the best surgical choice for most of the cases. However, in some cases, the intraoral surgical field prevents an adequate visualization of the osteotomy line. The authors present 5 consecutive clinical cases of hyperplasia of the coronoid process treated with an endoscopically assisted coronoidectomy using ultrasound bone-cutting instruments.