Yavuz Muhammed Selim, Aras Mutan Hamdi, Güngör Hasan, Büyükkurt Mustafa Cemil
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey.
J Craniomaxillofac Surg. 2009 Apr;37(3):137-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jcms.2009.01.006. Epub 2009 Feb 20.
The pneumatized articular eminence (PAT) of the temporal bone has been identified as an asymptomatic radiolucent appearance defect in the temporal bone. Although it occurs very rarely, when present, it may represent the potential for complications following surgical manipulation of the temporomandibular joint.
The record of 8107 patients who presented to our Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery services, between January 1998 and February 2008 was reviewed. Observations were made on the side and radiographic appearance of the PAT; and sex and age of patients.
Eighty-three of 8107 (1.03%) individuals had PAT with 41 females and 42 males. PATs were located on the right side in 60 individuals and in the left side in 50 individuals. PATs were unilateral in 56 cases and bilateral in 27 (totally 110 PAT). Forty-four of the PATs were unilocular type, and 66 of the PATs were multilocular type.
Treatment of PAT is unnecessary. However if a surgeon who is planning to perform eminoplasty or eminectomy on a patient who has PAT, he/she should be aware of the details of PAT. Moreover, fractures of the temporal bone with PAT can occur easier than temporal bone without PAT.
颞骨的气化关节结节（PAT）已被确定为颞骨中一种无症状的透射性外观缺陷。尽管其非常罕见，但一旦出现，可能代表颞下颌关节手术操作后出现并发症的可能性。
回顾了1998年1月至2008年2月期间到我们口腔颌面外科就诊的8107例患者的记录。观察了PAT的部位和影像学表现，以及患者的性别和年龄。
8107例中有83例（1.03%）存在PAT，其中女性41例，男性42例。PAT位于右侧60例，左侧50例。56例为单侧PAT，27例为双侧PAT（共110个PAT）。44个PAT为单房型，66个PAT为多房型。
PAT无需治疗。然而，如果外科医生计划对患有PAT的患者进行关节结节成形术或关节结节切除术，他/她应该了解PAT的详细情况。此外，有PAT的颞骨比没有PAT的颞骨更容易发生骨折。
