Fracture of jaw of epileptic patient

FRACTURE

OF JAW

OF EPILEPTIC

PATIENT

REPORT OF CASE BY BI. HILLEL FE~LDIUS, D.D.X., NEW YORK, S. Y. IIE radiograph (Fig. 1) shows a case which occurs rather infrequently and therefore would be of some interest. Patient gave the history of having fractured his jaw during an epileptic seizure which threw him violently to the floor. The problem for reduction of fracture in this case was hog- to give the injured mandible physiologic rest, having in mind the possibility of a subsequent epileptic spell during the cowse of treatment. It would be manifestly inadvisable to close the maxilla with wirin g or any ot,her means to this end,

Fig.

1.

because when the epileptic is seized with his convulsion there is a danger of strangulation, as in many cases there is an accompaniment of nausea. To overcome this danger I constructed an aluminum splint which I cemented to the young man’s teeth. It is only necessary to add that all pain in the region of the fracture ceased from the moment of the introduction of this appliance. I believe that a good many fractures of the mandible might, be or handled with some modification of this technic without actually dosing fixating the mandible to the maxilla. 381