Congenital fusion of jaw and ankyloblepharon filiforme adnatum: malformation and multiple systems anomaly

Congenital Maxillomandibular Syngnathia: Review of Literature and Proposed New Classification System

PURPOSE

Maxillomandibular fusion (syngnathia) is a rare craniofacial anomaly. It occurs as either fibrous (synechiae) or bony (synostosis) fusion of jaw or fusion of mandible to zygoma, tuberosity, hard palate and temporal bone. There are several documentations delineating this condition but owing to its varying presentation, association with both intraoral and extraoral anomalies and syndromes, reviewing it has been as uphill task. The non-unanimous description of cases in the literature and the use of different nomenclatures make it difficult to classify this condition.

METHODS

Extensive search of the literature was done from the year 1936 to 2018 which included a total of 118 cases with 62 cases of bony fusion, 48 cases of fibrous fusion and 8 cases of combined fusion, i.e., fibrous on one site and bony on another side.

RESULTS

This paper proposes a novel, simple and explicit classification system on the basis of nature of fusing tissues, location and extent, association with syndrome after reviewing the existing literature. Furthermore, this review reports 4 new cases of syngnathia along with their clinical, radiographic features and their management protocol.

CONCLUSIONS

This classification can be generalized to all the cases of syngnathia and can further facilitate in its appropriate diagnosis and treatment plan.

Congenital syngnathia: review of clinical profile and proposal of a new classification-based management protocol

Syngnathia is a rare congenital anomaly that presents as fusion of the jaws. The aims of this study were to review the clinical profile of reported cases of syngnathia available in the literature with a view to suggesting a classification that may simplify the understanding of syngnathia and to propose an appropriate management protocol. A PubMed database search of articles published in English was conducted. Selected articles were analyzed according to year of publication, type of article, number of cases per article, patient biodata, description of syngnathia, and associated anomalies. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 19; the level of statistical significance was set at P≤ 0.05. Cases were categorized according to a proposed classification, and a review of the management of congenital syngnathia from 153 previously reported cases (in 110 articles) was done to propose a treatment protocol based on the proposed classification model. The findings are presented under three headings: pre-surgical considerations, surgical (intraoperative) considerations, and post-surgical considerations. The proposed classification categorizes syngnathia into soft tissue union (type 1) and hard tissue union (type 2). These two types were found to have similar frequencies in the literature, while their management differed in terms of mode of anaesthesia and surgical approach.

Congenital oral synechia and ankyloblepharon filiforme adnatum: Case report and literature review

INTRODUCTION

Congenital intraoral synechias are adhesions of intraoral structures involving soft tissue. These conditions and another anomaly called ankyloblepharon filiforme adnatum, which is partial fusion of the eyelid margins by bands of tissue, are rarely reported in the literature. The association of both anomalies of the craniomaxillofacial region is an even more unusual finding.

PURPOSE

This article adds more information to the literature by reporting a case of a neonate with a rare association of bilateral synechia between the jaws, fusion of buccal mucosa to the ridges and between the tongue and palate, and ankyloblepharon filiforme adnatum in both eyes, without any other facial or systemic malformation.

METHODS

A literature review of similar cases published in PUBMED/MEDLINE was conducted followed by a discussion and comparison to the new case.

CONCLUSION

The rare association of these congenital defects, without the presence of syndromic symptoms, could be diagnosed and treated easily with good prognostic evolution.

Ankyloblepharon Filiforme Adnatum in a Newborn

Ankyloblepharon filiforme adnatum (AFA) is a rare congenital anomaly consisting of a partial or complete fusion of the eyelid margins. It is usually an isolated and benign malformation but its presence should alert the neonatologist because it can be rarely associated to other important multisystemic disorders. We report a case of a newborn presenting with isolated AFA at birth, treated in the first day of life.