ABSTRACT
Open temporomandibular joint (TMJ) arthroplasty is recommended for the treatment of internal derangement with closed lock, when nonsurgical therapy has failed. This chapter presents an alternative approach to surgical correction of internal derangement of the TMJ with closed lock. A retrospective nonrandomised study design, without controls, with only narrative results describing the technique of lysis and lavage after diagnostic TMJ arthroscopic assessment. The first step was diagnostic examination of TMJ. Different areas to be examined were described and findings such as fibrillations, adhesions, masses of synovial tissues, synovitis, changes in the vascularity, or perforations documented. Sanders was the first author to report on the beneficial effects of arthroscopy of the TMJ in specific conditions. It was presented as a minimally invasive and effective surgical technique for cases of acute or chronic closed lock of the TMJ. The postoperative treatment was variable and therefore it was not possible to determine to what degree results were due to joint lysis and lavage.
