Innovative Skull Base Surgery

An innovative surgical procedure was performed for the first time in Greece at the Athens Naval Hospital. The procedure involved arthroscopic surgery of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), a small joint approximately 2 cm in size that connects the lower jaw to the base of the skull.

The operation was performed on a patient with TMJ syndrome in order to treat dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint. Until then, such conditions had mainly been managed with conservative treatments, which had not always provided satisfactory results.

The procedure was performed endoscopically by oral and maxillofacial surgeon Panagiotis Sennis, Director of the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department at the Athens Naval Hospital, together with his surgical team.

About the technique

Compared with traditional open surgery, the arthroscopic approach offers several advantages.

Most importantly, the surgical access points are extremely small, measuring approximately 2 mm, through which miniature instruments are introduced into the joint area under endoscopic visualization.

This minimally invasive approach reduces surgical trauma and may lower the risk of certain complications, while allowing patients to recover more quickly.

The procedure lasts approximately 30–40 minutes, and the patient generally remains in hospital for only one day. In comparison, open surgery traditionally required a hospital stay of at least three days.

The shorter hospital stay also reduces the overall use of hospital resources, as patients require less time for postoperative monitoring and recovery.

According to Dr Sennis, the cosmetic recovery is also rapid. Approximately two weeks after surgery, the small entry points used for the arthroscopic instruments are typically very difficult to distinguish.

During the procedure, the surgeon views the inside of the temporomandibular joint on a monitor and performs the necessary treatment using specialized microsurgical instruments.