Does surgical volume correlate with outcomes in TMJ replacement surgery?

Area of Science:

• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Orthopedic Surgery
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Temporomandibular joint replacement (TMJR) is a complex procedure.
• Understanding factors influencing surgical outcomes is crucial for patient care.
• Surgeon experience and case volume are hypothesized to impact TMJR procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between surgeon experience and case volume with TMJR outcomes.
• To determine if surgical length, protocols, and complication rates are associated with surgeon expertise.

Main Methods:

• An anonymous electronic survey was distributed to 407 oral and maxillofacial surgeons with known TMJR experience.
• The survey included multiple-choice and open-ended questions on surgical practices and outcomes.
• Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the collected data from 49 respondents.

Main Results:

• Average procedure times for stock TMJR were 2.86 hours (unilateral) and 5.30 hours (bilateral).
• Average procedure times for custom TMJR were 2.75 hours (unilateral) and 4.87 hours (bilateral).
• Average hospital stays were 1.49 days (stock unilateral) to 1.98 days (stock bilateral).

Conclusions:

• Pilot data suggests a potential link between surgeon TMJR experience and case volume.
• These factors may influence surgical duration, adopted protocols, and complication incidence.
• Further research is warranted to confirm these preliminary findings.