Restoration of Ramus Height in Child Patients With Extracapsular Condylar Fractures: Is This Mission Almost Impossible to Accomplish?

OBJECTIVE This study aimed to assess whether ramus height is restored in children with extracapsular condylar fractures treated by conservative or surgery procedures. METHODS The sample consisted of 35 children (collected consecutively) less than 12 years old who presented with extracapsular condylar fractures and treated within an 8-year period (June 2011 to April 2019). Data on the age, gender, date of injury, mechanism of trauma, location and pattern of mandibular condylar fracture, associated injuries and treatment methods were recorded and analyzed. Ramus height restoration is the main evaluation indicator during the follow-up period. RESULTS Within the 8-year record retrieval, the 35 children sustained 41 extracapsular condylar fractures. For the sample size, 10 (24.4%) and 31 (75.6%) had condylar neck and base fractures, respectively. Deviation and green-stick fracture were the predominant types in condylar neck and base fractures, accounting for more than 3 quarters (31, 75.6%). The majority (33, 80.5%) of patients were treated with nonsurgical treatment, and 8 (19.5%) were treated by open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF). During the follow-up period (1-1419 days, average time of 110.6 days), only 1 patient (with bilateral extracapsular condylar fractures) had their ramus height restored (follow-up period, 256 days). Most members of the ORIF group (5 of 8, 62.5%) postoperatively showed bended ramus (deviated angularly/fragment angulation). CONCLUSION Conservative treatment could hardly restore the ramus height of children with extracapsular condylar fractures. Anatomically or totally restoring the ramus height is difficult even with the surgical treatment of ORIF; however, surgical treatment of ORIF can substantially restore the ramus height for dislocated fractures or seriously displaced fractures.