A Case of Hybrid MMF Intermaxillary Fixation System for Jaw Fracture in Bear Trauma

• Published in: Journal of the Japanese Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Traumatology Vol. 20; no. 2; pp. 17 - 21
• Main Authors: MURAYAMA, Kazuyoshi, TAKEDA, Yukihiko, TAMURA, Ryuki, KATSUYAMA, Naohiko, NINOMIYA, Kazunori, TOYA, Syuzi, TANAKA, Akira
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: Japanese Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Traumatology 2021
• Subjects: Bear attack; Facial injury; Hybrid MMF intermaxillary fixation system
• ISSN: 1347-9903; 2434-3366
• DOI: 10.24787/jsomft.20.2_17

We report a case of bear trauma resulting in jaw fracture, which was treated using the hybrid maxillomandibular fixation （MMF） intermaxillary fixation system. The patient, a 50-year-old man, was attacked by a bear during the night in mid-November. He was transported to our hospital via emergency （medical） services after being examined at another general hospital. At the initial examination, there was a laceration from the left forehead to the lower lip and failure of eyelid closure on the left side with difficulty in opening and occlusion. The imaging findings revealed left zygomatic, left zygomatic arch, left maxillary, and left mandibular condylar fractures. The zygomatic arch fracture with a large displacement was treated using plastic surgery, and the jaw fracture was treated using the hybrid MMF intermaxillary fixation in our department. After release of the inter-arch fixation, occlusal guidance was performed using intermaxillary elastics. The patient’s progress was good, and he was discharged after 31 days. The hybrid MMF is a device that reduces invasion of the teeth and periodontal tissues by directly placing screws into the jawbone to obtain a fixed anchor. The use of this device was thought to be critical in this case.