Photomicrographic evidence of insertion tendonosis: the etiologic factor in pain for temporal tendonitis.

A patient with the classic signs and symptoms of temporal tendonitis was treated with excisional surgery of the temporal tendon and its respective mandibular coronoid process. The excised tissue was submitted to pathology for microscopic analysis, and the results were confirmed by two pathologists. Degenerative signs of focal atrophy and tissue necrosis were evident and served to describe the focal nature of the painful condition of temporal tendonitis. The description for the pain pattern is given, along with the recommended method for diagnostic testing. The current method of surgical management using radiofrequency thermal ablation is described, which replaces the more tissue-destructive, excisional approach.