Helios St. Josefshospital Uerdingen: After an untreated jaw fracture, Amir can chew again
Amir (name changed by the editors) comes from Afghanistan. Due to an incorrectly healed and as yet untreated fracture of the temporomandibular joint, the boy came to the Helios St. Josefshospital in Uerdingen for treatment via Friedensdorf International. Helios St. Josefshospital in Uerdingen is a part of the Helios Hospitals in Krefeld. After surgery and physiotherapy exercises, the 10-year-old can now eat normally again.
Seven years ago, Amir broke his jaw joint on both sides when he fell on his chin. Since the fracture was not treated in his native Afghanistan, the joint grew together incorrectly. Since then, Amir has been unable to move his lower jaw, so that for seven years he was only able to eat liquid food. Due to the missing mouth closure, speaking was also only possible to a limited extent for Amir.
Friedensdorf International placed the bright boy in the hands of PD Dr. med. Dr. med. dent. Sven Holger Baum, chief physician of oral and maxillofacial surgery at Helios St. Josefshospital in Uerdingen. "To correct Amir's jaw and restore full functionality, we surgically released the ossification at the base of the skull on both sides and returned the temporomandibular joints to their natural position. Still under general anesthesia, the mouth was subsequently able to open 3.4 centimeters and move properly. Amir can now lead a completely normal life," says the specialist, explaining the surgical treatment.
After the operation, the patients practice eating, speaking and drinking correctly with the speech therapists and physiotherapists at the clinic and also at the Peace Village. "With Amir, this is already working really well. He can open his mouth again without pain in an age-appropriate manner," explains senior physician and oral surgeon Dr. med. Dr. med. dent. Angela Bißels. The head physician of the clinic is also pleased with the good result: "To enable such brave children as Amir to lead a normal life, who otherwise have hardly any chance of a helping operation, is one of the most beautiful aspects of our profession," says PD Dr. med. Dr. med. dent. Baum.
And the guest from Afghanistan was not the first child to be treated in oral and maxillofacial surgery through Friedensdorf International.
