The Role of Temporomandibular Joint Arthroscopy for Diagnosis and Surgical Management of Synovial Chondromatosis

Objective: We report the experience of our maxillo-facial surgery unit into the diagnostic and the therapeutic role of arthroscopy of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) synovial chondromatosis (SC). Materials and methods: A series of sixteen patients with an imaging, arthroscopical, and histological diagnosis of SC treated with arthroscopy was selected. The surgeries were conducted in the Department of Maxillo-facial surgery, Academic hospital of Udine, from January 2016 to December 2022. Medical history, clinical examination, imaging, arthroscopical, and histological characteristics were recorded and then reviewed and discussed. Results: Clinical improvement, both in pain and in maximum incisal opening (MIO), were noticed in whole patients. Histologically, according to Milgram's classification, the sample was fairly homogeneous. Arthroscopic treatment was successful in 87.5% of the patients. Only two cases of SC relapse were registered and were then submitted to open surgery to perform a total sinovectomy. The data collected were used to develop an SC classification proposal based on clinical, radiological (magnetic resonance imaging), arthroscopical, and histopathological characteristics. Conclusions: TMJ arthroscopy must be considered the first line of treatment for SC, leaving open surgery to relapses cases and those cases with extraarticular extension. A univocal classification is essential to best stage and prognostically characterise this pathology.