Ultrasound-guided Versus Arthroscopic Guided PRF Injection for TMJ Disc Displacement.

April 9, 2026 updated by: Sami faiz kahwaji, Cairo University

Ultrasound Guided Versus Arthroscopic Guided PRF Injection in Management of Temporomandibular Joint Disc Displacement With Reduction: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials

To compare the clinical effectiveness of ultrasound-guided versus arthroscopic guided platelet rich fibrin injection in the management of anterior disc displacement with reduction of the temporomandibular joint, in terms of pain reduction, improvement of mandibular function, and patient-reported outcomes.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Internal derangements of the temporomandibular joint, particularly disc displacement with reduction, represent a significant proportion of temporomandibular disorders. Conventional conservative treatments may not always achieve satisfactory symptom resolution, leading to increased interest in minimally invasive interventions. PRF has gained attention for its ability to promote tissue regeneration, reduce inflammation, and enhance healing through the sustained release of growth factors. Image-guided injection techniques are essential for ensuring accurate delivery of PRF into the targeted joint structures. Arthroscopic-guided injection allows direct visualization of intra-articular anatomy but is invasive, technically demanding, and associated with higher cost and procedural complexity. In contrast, ultrasound-guided injection is a non-invasive, radiation-free, and cost- effective technique that enables real-time visualization of soft tissues and needle placement. Despite these advantages, the comparative clinical efficacy of ultrasound-guided versus arthroscopic-guided PRF injection remains inadequately explored, particularly in patients with TMJ disc displacement with reduction.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
18

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients aged 18-60 years.
  • Clinically and radiographically diagnosed temporomandibular joint disc displacemet with reduction.
  • Presence of TMJ pain exacerbated by mandibular movement.
  • Limited mandibular function and/or reduced maximum mouth opening.
  • Symptoms persisting for at least 3 months.
  • Failure of conservative treatment (e.g. occlusal splint, physiotherapy, NSAIDs). -Ability to understand the study protocol and provide informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Previous TMJ surgery or arthroscopic intervention.
  • Intra-articular injection in the TMJ within the last 6 months.
  • Systemic inflammatory or autoimmune joint diseases.
  • Coagulation disorders or current anticoagulant therapy.
  • Active local infection at the injection site.
  • Pregnancy or lactation.
  • Severe degenerative joint disease (advanced osteoarthritis).
  • Known allergy or contraindication to ( PRF) preparation.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Ultrasound guided platelet rich fibrin injection.
Patient receive PRF injection under ultrasound guidance
Device: ultrasound guided platelet rich fibrin injection
  1. A high-frequency linear ultrasound probe will be used to identify the TMJ space.
  2. A sterile syringe containing 1 mL of PRF will be inserted into the superior joint space under real-time ultrasound guidance.
  3. PRF will be injected slowly with continuous confirmation of needle position.
Experimental: Arthroscopic guided platelet-rich fibrin injection.
Patient receive PRF injection under arsothscopic guidance
Device: Arthroscopic guided platelet rich Fibrin injection
  1. TMJ arthroscopy will be performed under local or general anesthesia following standard aseptic preparation.
  2. The superior joint space will be visualized using a 1.9 mm arthroscope.
  3. A sterile syringe containing 1 mL of PRF will be introduced through a lateral portal under direct arthroscopic visualization.
  4. PRF will be injected slowly into the superior joint space.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Maximum mouth opening
Time Frame: 6 months
Maximum interincisal distance measured using digital caliper in millimeters (mm) between upper and lower central incisors, Unit of measure: millimeters (mm). Minimum value: 0 mm. Maximum value: 60 mm. Higher values represent a better outcome.
6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Pain intensity
Time Frame: 6 months
Pain intensity assessed using 100 mm Visual Analog Scale (VAS). 0 = no pain; 10 = worst pain imaginable. Unit of measure: points (0-10). Minimum value: 0. Maximum value: 10. Higher scores represent a worse outcome.
6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Cairo University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

  • González LV, López JP, Díaz-Báez D, Orjuela MP, Chavez M. Clinical outcomes of operative arthroscopy and temporomandibular medical infiltration with platelet-rich fibrin in upper and lower articular space. J Cranio-Maxillofac Surg. 2021;49:1162-1168.
  • Chaudhary FA, Ahmad B, Butt DQ, Hameed S, Bashir U. Normal range of maximum mouth opening in Pakistani population: A cross-sectional study. J Int Oral Health. 2019;11(6):353-356. doi:10.4103/jioh.jioh_127_19.

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
May 7, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
February 7, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
June 7, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
April 2, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 9, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
April 16, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
April 16, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 9, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • OMFS-TMJ-PRF-RCT01

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

No IPD sharing plan at this time due to data sensitivity, ongoing sponsor review, and lack of established infrastructure.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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