Symphysiotomy, Symphysiectomy, and Intermandibular Arthrodesis in a Cat with Open-Mouth Jaw Locking — Case Report and Literature Review

A Persian cat was presented with open-mouth jaw locking. It was suspected that abnormal extrusion of the maxillary canine teeth caused contact with the mandibular canine teeth on closure of the mouth, resulting in levering forces that may have led to increased symphyseal mobility, temporomandibular joint laxity, rotational movement of the left mandibular body and locking of the left coronoid process lateral to the zygomatic arch. Symphysiotomy, symphysiectomy, circumferential and interdental wiring, and intraoral resin-based splint application were performed to achieve intermandibular arthrodesis. Following removal of all devices, no further jaw locking episodes were reported during a 33-month follow-up period.

Use of mandibular symphysiotomy to allow extensive caudal hemimaxillectomy in a dog

A 5-year-old dog was presented with a large caudal maxillary osteosarcoma, which was causing extreme pain on opening of the mouth. The mass was not resectable through a standard oral approach. This article describes the successful use of mandibular symphysiotomy to allow extensive caudal hemimaxillectomy to remove the mass and provide excellent postoperative quality of life for the dog.

Surgical cleft soft palate repair in a foal

An Anglo-Arab foal with bilateral postprandial nasal discharge was diagnosed as having a full-length defect of the soft palate. Surgical repair was attempted using a combination of two surgical approaches. Initially a mandibular symphysiotomy approach was used. The posterior portion of the defect did not heal adequately, so a ventral laryngotomy, bisecting the body of the thyroid cartilage and extending to a pharyngotomy approach, was performed 5 months later. The foal has since matured fully despite a slight unilateral nasal discharge. This case report demonstrates that these two surgical approaches used simultaneously provide surgical access that is superior to either approach used individually.

Temporomandibular ankylosis in the cat: a review of seven cases

Ankylosis of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in the cat is an unusual complication of traumatic lesions involving articular (true ankylosis) or periarticular structures (false ankylosis). Seven cats with true ankylosis of the TMJ (four cases unilateral and three cases bilateral), of which previous trauma had been documented in five cases, were referred to the authors' clinic between September 1991 and October 1996. Radiographic assessment was performed in all cases, using dorsoventral and oblique projections. Five subjects underwent arthroplastic excision of the TMJ and, in the remaining two cases, stretching of the jaws was performed under general anaesthesia. The surgical outcome was satisfactory in all but one case, where partially decreased joint mobility was observed (follow-up time one to five years), but in the two cases where non-surgical treatment was carried out, recurrence of TMJ ankylosis was observed (follow-up time two to five months). In the authors' experience, surgery represents the treatment of choice for TMJ ankylosis in cats. Additional mandibular symphysiotomy can confirm the radiological findings in unilateral cases.

Pelvic symphysiotomy in the cat. A steel insert to increase the pelvic diameter

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