Nagaland woman who couldn't open mouth due to deformity undergoes surgery in city hospital

A 30-year-old woman from Nagaland, who suffered from a facial deformity since birth for which she could not open her mouth properly, underwent a 12-hour-long correction surgery at a city hospital recently.

Awan Konyak faced difficulty in opening her mouth since birth. She could not chew food and could not take care of her teeth as her mouth did not open. This disorder is medically termed 'Ankylosis of TM (Temporomandibular) Joints'.

She approached doctors at BLK Hospital here. She had undergone several surgeries at various hospitals but was still unable to open her mouth.

"We evaluated the complexity and criticality of the case. After investigation, it was found that the patient was suffering from a combined problem of facial deformity and severe obstructive sleep apnea.

We decided to rectify the problem with Joint replacement and orthognathic surgical procedures," Dr Anil Murarka, a senior consultant at BLK Centre for Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery said.

She was finally planned for ...