Complication rates of operatively treated mandibular fractures-the mandibular neck

Background. Surgical treatment of mandibular neck fractures is frequently associated with postoperative complications. This study aims at an in-depth analysis of complication rates of surgically treated mandibular neck fractures. Methods. All treated patients (264 male, 103 female patients, with 429 mandibular neck fractures) of the Vienna University Clinic of Maxillofacial Surgery in the period of 1995 to 2005 with at least 1 mandibular neck fracture were included. Results. Of surgically treated fractures, 94.8% healed successfully after 1 open reduction, 4.4% had 2, and 0.8% had 3 open reductions. Osteosynthesis failure was 11.3% for 1 miniplate, 6.7% for 2 miniplates, and 8.5% for 1 lag screw. Of the surgically treated, 53 (21.3%) had 1 complication, 12 (4.8%) had 2, and 4 (1.6%) had 3 complications. Comparing isolated and mandibular neck fractures combined with other mandibular fractures the risk of suffering osteosynthesis failure is 3.59 in case of isolated (P = .004). Conclusions. Predominant causes of revision surgery are osteosynthesis failure, pseudarthrosis, and malposition. (Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 2010; 109: 815-819)