[Thermographic quantification of sensory and sympathetic nerve lesions in mandibular fractures--a prognostic criterium?].

As a rule, damage to segmental afferent nerves by trauma is accompanied with local impairment of sympathic functions. Standardized quantification of subjective items concerning the deficit of sensibility is quite problematical. Investigation by electrophysiological means yield not more than qualitative issues. In contrast, changes of sympathetic status and reaction of dependent dermatomas are quantitatively measurable by thermography. -26 patients with unilateral mandibular fractures complained of different posttraumatic or postoperative sensible impairment of the third branch of the trigeminal nerve. In the course of onto 3 years area and quality of the concerned neural defect were correlated to skin temperature that was measured by contact thermography and compared to the opposite reference region.- In all cases the early posttraumatic period showed a difference in temperature of the corresponding skin areas (delta T = 0.43 +/- 0.24 C). In 20 of 26 cases a relation between the changes of temperature concerning time and area and the sensible improvement could be seen. There was an individual time-lag between these developments. Side-comparing thermography was able to forecast improvement in 17 of 26 cases. Thus, the issued device provides statements about the amount and the course of posttraumatic loss of sensibility.