53425 - Complicated Mandible Fracture Open Reduction (No Plate)

The need for treatment of a complicated mandibular fracture involving viscera, blood vessels, or nerves, requiring open reduction without a plate, arises when a patient sustains a highly complex mandibular fracture—typically from severe trauma like an industrial accident—damaging adjacent structures such as the tongue, major vessels, or nerves, necessitating surgical exposure under anesthesia with assistance in a hospital to reposition the bone and address complications without using a plate if stability is achieved. This procedure is indicated for intricate fractures with soft tissue involvement, critical in the maxillofacial region where damage affects jaw function and vital structures.

Several scenarios necessitate this intervention:

• Severe trauma with visceral damage: A fracture tearing into the floor of the mouth or tongue might require open reduction to manage visceral injury and realign the bone.
• Vascular compromise: Bleeding from the facial artery could need surgical exposure to control while repositioning the fracture.
• Nerve involvement: A fracture compressing the inferior alveolar nerve might cause numbness, needing careful reduction to relieve pressure without plate fixation.
• Complex dysfunction: Multiple fracture lines with soft tissue damage could impair speech or swallowing, requiring precise repositioning to restore function.

For example, a patient with a mandibular fracture from a heavy impact involving tongue laceration might undergo open reduction to reposition the bone and repair visceral damage, with the assistant aiding in nerve preservation. In an aged care setting, an elderly patient with a complicated mandibular injury could benefit from this to maintain jaw function, adjusted for their frailty and healing capacity. By surgically repositioning the mandible and managing complications without a plate, this service restores alignment, protects vital structures, and ensures healing, making it a specialised solution for complicated mandibular fractures within the maxillofacial framework.

Restores mandibular alignment, protects vital structures, and manages complications.

Recovery of 6-8 weeks with swelling, soft diet, and careful monitoring; hospital stay required.