Abstract

A 2.2 meter long juvenile Indian Rock Python (Python molurus molurus) weighing 12 kg was presented at the District Veterinary Centre, Kannur, with severely lacerated jaw muscles along the right labial commissure following a road traffic accident. Physical and radiographic examination confirmed the presence of open luxation of the right mandible-quadrate joint along with severe laceration of anterior temporalis muscle and tracheal puncture. The luxated mandible was reduced and fixed in alignment with the quadrate bone using 1-0 polyglactin 910 under general anaesthesia. The lacerated right anterior temporalis muscle along with its fascia was apposed in simple continuous suture pattern using 2-0 polyglactin 910 followed by the skin in horizontal mattress suture pattern using 2-0 monofilament polyamide. The tracheal wound was apposed in simple interrupted suture pattern using 3-0 polyglactin 910. Postoperative antibiotics and analgesics were administered along with regular wound dressing. The skin wound healed completely by the 4^th postoperative week and the muscles healed by the 5^th postoperative week. Oral feeding was attempted using a Ryle’s tube during the 5^th postoperative week. The snake started using the jaw by the fifth postoperative week and the normal jaw movement and jaw tone was restored by the 10^th postoperative week. The snake had an uneventful recovery and was later released into its natural habitat.

Keywords : Mandible, Quadrate, Luxation, Indian rock python