Histological findings in TMJ treated with high condilectomy for internal derangement

Intra-Articular Temporo-Mandibular Disorders (TMD) are characterized by displacement of the disc that causes the condyles to slip back over the disc thus resulting in TMJ discal damage and erosion of the condyle's bone. The etiology of temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is multidimensional: biomechanical, neuromuscular, bio-psychosocial and biological factors may contribute to the disorder. The study involved 46 joints in 27 patients with a diagnosis of Intra-Articular Temporo-Mandibular Disorders (TMD) according to Axis I of Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD) for Clinical and Research Applications and underwent surgery between 2011 and 2014. Patients were divided into three groups. Group 1 were included patients with Disc Displacement (DD) without reduction without limited opening, Group 2 patients with DD without reduction with limited opening. Finally, Group 3 included patients with Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) TMD. In all cases, diagnosis of Intra-Articular Temporo-Mandibular Disorders (TMD) was confirmed by pre-operative examination (clinical, MRI and/or CT scan). Tissue specimens were obtained from all 50 joints for histopathology. The aim of this study was to analyse histological features of the surgical specimens obtained from patients with Intra-Articular Temporo-Mandibular Disorders who underwent surgery and assess the association with clinical findings and imaging. Preliminary results show in Group 1, fibrocartilage is preserved and regular, there are isolated outbreaks of bone resorption and focal sclerosis. In Groups 2 and 3 fibrocartilages are irregular and thickness varies widely and sclerosis is more pronounced. In early stages of TMD, the disc antero-medial displacement might play a fundamental role in the etiopathogenesis that can became an irreversible joint damage thus leading to a wide spectrum of articular symptoms and signs in TMD (Cohen et al., 2014; Hagandora and Almarza, 2012; Nah, 2012).