Intraoperative comparison of Y-shape cannula and concentric needle techniques in single-puncture temporomandibular joint arthrocentesis

Abstract

This study aims to compare two different single-puncture arthrocentesis (SPA) Type 2 techniques, the Y-shaped cannula and the concentric needle methods, in terms of intraoperative parameters. In the study, data from 32 unilateral temporomandibular joint (TMJ) arthrocentesis procedures, including procedure duration (seconds), the number of cannula relocations, and procedural difficulty (evaluated using a visual analog scale), were retrospectively analyzed. The Y-shaped cannula technique was found to significantly reduce procedure duration (284.81 ± 74.6 s vs. 649.50 ± 118.9 s, p < 0.001). Although there were no significant differences between the groups in the number of cannula relocations or procedural difficulty, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) showed that the Y-shaped cannula technique made the procedure less difficult (p = 0.018). These results suggest that the Y-shaped cannula may offer advantages, particularly in busy clinical settings, by shortening procedure duration and facilitating ease of operation.