Long-Term Outcomes of Dental Rehabilitation and Quality of Life after Microvascular Alveolar Ridge Reconstruction in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer.

Background/Objectives: Dental rehabilitation after extended tumour resection and jaw reconstruction is challenging. The present study aimed to report the prosthetic outcome and quality of life (QoL) in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) after microvascular alveolar ridge reconstruction. Methods: The prosthetic outcomes of all consecutive patients with HNC who underwent microvascular alveolar ridge reconstruction at the University Hospital Salzburg between 2011 and 2018 were investigated. Oral health-related QoL (OHrQoL) and overall QoL were assessed using the validated Oral Health Impact Profile-49 (OHIP-49) and Short Form-36 questionnaires. Results: During the study period, 115 consecutive patients with head and neck cancer underwent microvascular jaw reconstruction. Among them, 23.3% and 27.4% received conventional tissue-borne prostheses and implant-supported prostheses, respectively, while 48.7% did not undergo dental rehabilitation. The prosthetic outcome was not associated with tumour stage (p = 0.32). Oral health-related quality of life (OHrQoL) was best in patients with implant-supported dental rehabilitation (OHIP-49 median score = 7) and worst in those with conventional removable dentures (OHIP-49 median score = 54). The corresponding OHIP-49 median score for patients who could not undergo dental rehabilitation was 30.5. All Short Form-36 subscale scores were equal to or higher than the malignancy norm scores. Conclusions: After microvascular jaw reconstruction, approximately one-third of the HNC patients received adequate implant-supported dental rehabilitation. However, the risk of dental rehabilitation failure was 50%. The different prosthetic outcomes affected OHrQoL, but not overall QoL.

Advances in open reduction and internal fixation of multiple mandibular fractures with condylar involvement.

Multiple mandibular fractures with condylar involvement are challenging to treat. This paper aims to present a series of steps to simplify the treatment and improve the outcomes in open reduction and internal fixation of multiple mandibular fractures with condylar involvement. The authors reviewed the developments in their practice in treating the above injuries. As a result, four new elements were identified: three-dimensional printing, model surgery, Kirschner wires to manipulate the segments in condylar fractures, and a top-to-bottom sequence. The above algorithm has contributed to streamlining the procedure and improving the outcomes of these challenging fractures. For the same operator, reduction and osteosynthesis require approximately 40 min. less than before the adoption of the new protocol. So far, the authors did not encounter suboptimal reductions or situations where the screws were too long and therefore had to be exchanged for shorter ones in revision surgery.

Compartment Syndrome of the Temporal Muscle.

The authors report a patient with masticator space abscess due to an ascending infection following a wisdom tooth extraction. They administered antibiotics and did an incision and drainage; however, osteomyelitis of the mandible and compartment syndrome of the temporal muscle complicated the course. The authors suggest a physiopathology and discuss the management of this study.

Microvascular reconstruction and dental rehabilitation of benign severely atrophic jaws and defects of the alveolar ridge: our philosophy in 2019.

We deal regularly with patients who present with severe atrophy of the jaws, compromised soft tissue, or penetrating defects of the alveolar ridge that are not the result of malignant disease. For these patients we use microvascular bony flaps together with dental implants and implant-supported prostheses. The purpose of this retrospective study was to present our current management and the lessons we have learned over a 16-year period while treating 86 patients for these indications with 87 microvascular bone flaps. We used a transoral approach for the anastomosis in 60 flaps, thereby avoiding visible scars, and inserted 281 dental implants to support fixed or removable dental prostheses. Two femoral flaps developed partial necrosis, and seven implants were lost. Eighty-five of the 86 patients were satisfied with the improvement in their orofacial function and aesthetics. Poor oral hygiene, active osteomyelitis, and severe bruxism are absolute contraindications.

Microvascular medial femoral condylar flaps in 107 consecutive reconstructions in the head and neck.

We have assessed the role of the medial femoral condylar flap in 107 patients who had reconstructions of the head and neck. We retrospectively reviewed their medical records for indications, complications, and outcomes. The flap was primarily used for coverage of alveolar ridge defects (n=67), secondly for defects of the facial bone, calvaria, or skull base (n=35), and thirdly for partial laryngeal defects (n=5). Two flaps were lost. One patient fractured a femur 5 weeks postoperatively. The duration of follow up ranged from 6 months to 12 years. The medial femoral condylar flap is well-suited to individual reconstructions of the alveolar ridge, midface, calvaria, skull base, and part of the larynx with poor recipient sites. The flap does not replace other wellknown flaps, but offers new solutions for solving special problems in head and neck surgery.

The intraoral anastomosing technique in reconstructive surgery of the face - A consecutive case series of 70 patients.

INTRODUCTION: New techniques in microvascular flap transfer result in new indications for reconstructive treatment of facial defects. In this study, the indications and success rate of an intraoral anastomosing technique in facial reconstruction were examined. METHODS: Seventy patients with intraoral defects or central midface defects were reconstructed with the use of microvascular flaps. Anastomoses were performed by an intraoral anastomosing technique. Indications for the use of this technique, types of flaps, complications and problems were evaluated. RESULTS: Except for 5 reconstructions, all were performed to correct bone defect coverage of the jaws. All anatomising procedures worked without severe intraoperative problems. There was one total flap loss caused by venous congestion, and two partial losses not associated with the anastomosing technique. There were no other complications or problems. CONCLUSIONS: The main indications for the use of intraoral anastomosing techniques are alveolar ridge reconstruction in patients with defects not caused by a malignant tumour and central midface reconstruction in the case of short flap pedicle. The success rate of the intraoral anastomosing technique is similar to that of extraoral techniques reported in the literature.

Long-term skeletal and dental stability after orthognathic surgery of the maxillo-mandibular complex in Class II patients with transverse discrepancies.

INTRODUCTION: Two-jaw surgery has become the standard procedure for correcting skeletal maxillo-mandibular discrepancies in adults. However, only a few studies have reported on the long-term stability of bimaxillary orthognathic surgery in patients with Class II malocclusion and transverse discrepancies. In this study, the long-term outcome of two-piece maxillary treatment during bimaxillary surgery in patients with skeletal Class II malocclusion was examined and the results are discussed. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Dental plaster casts and lateral cephalograms of 47 patients were collected in five phases of treatment: baseline (t1), preoperatively (t2), postoperatively (t3), at the end of orthodontic treatment (t4), and at the time of long-term follow-up (t5), and were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: At follow-up all patients showed a Class I occlusion. The maxillary width was, on average, enlarged by 2.7 mm surgically. During the following 8.8 years after treatment, 1.7 mm were lost. The cephalometric analyses showed no severe changes in the sagittal maxillary position for the duration of follow-up. The sagittal mandibular position (SNB) was changed significantly by the mandibular advancement from 75.4° to 77.8° and remained stable for 8.8 years postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Bimaxillary surgery with two-piece maxillary treatment in patients with Class II malocclusion leads to stable long-term occlusal results in the sagittal plane. The transverse enlargement achieved by intraoperative widening does not remain stable over the years. A relapse of about 60% of the surgically expanded transverse width is seen. In Class II deformities without an open bite, where extended transverse enlargement is necessary, a two-step procedure with primary surgically-assisted rapid palatal expansion followed by one-piece surgery should be planned.

A new technique for sandwich osteoplasty with interpositional bone grafts for fixation.

PURPOSE: To present a new technique for sandwich osteoplasty in the posterior mandible and to evaluate its feasibility as part of dental implant treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study of sandwich osteoplasty in the posterior mandible was conducted. No osteosynthetic material was used to stabilize the osteotomy. Fixation was achieved with the interposition of two bone blocks harvested from the retromolar region. RESULTS: Eighteen patients with 26 sites of severe atrophy of the posterior mandible were treated. After a healing period of 4 months, 53 dental implants were inserted into the augmented region. The implants were loaded with single crowns or fixed dental prostheses 3 months after placement. The mean vertical bone gain after 4 months of healing was 4.2 mm (standard deviation 1.4 mm). The average bone loss between augmentation and implantation was 2.3 mm (35.4%). All implants osseointegrated and showed no clinical signs of peri-implantitis. In three subjects, the elevated bony segment perforated the lingual mucosa near the adjacent teeth after excessive elevation (> 6 mm) but healed without any sequelae. CONCLUSION: An alternative method for vertical alveolar ridge augmentation of the posterior mandible is presented. No osteosynthetic material is required for fixation, and related complications can be avoided. Further prospective clinical studies are required to demonstrate the feasibility of this technique versus the conventional sandwich osteoplasty.

The role of the titanium functionally dynamic bridging plate for the treatment of the atrophic mandible fractures.

The role of the titanium functionally dynamic bridging plate (TFDBP) in the fracture treatment of the severely atrophic mandible was assessed retrospectively. In 28 consecutive patients with fractures of a severely atrophic mandible fixation was carried out with TFDBPs. Twenty-one patients with 27 fractures were included in the study and then followed up for complications and the progress of fracture healing for 17 months postoperatively on average. There was only one case that required plate removal. All patients showed bone healing 3 months after surgery. The mental nerve sensation improved in 12 out of 23 fractures that had presented with nerve function disturbance. Every patient who had dentures prior to sustaining the fracture was able to return to denture wearing 3 weeks after surgery. No major complications occurred. A high proportion of bone healing with a low complication rate was observed with the use of TFDBPs in the treatment of severely atrophic mandible fractures. The TFDBP is an excellent alternative to conventional plating of the severely atrophic mandible.

The microvascular thenar flap as a new possibility for super-thin soft tissue reconstruction in the oral cavity--initial clinical results.

We report the first clinical use of a free microvascular thenar flap for reconstruction of intraoral soft tissues. In 9 patients with a recurrent oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), a new primary oral SCC, or a defect of the hard palate after radiotherapy, we covered the soft tissue defect, after resection of the tumour or local preparation, with a microvascular thenar flap. All patients had had combined resection and irradiation for treatment of the initial tumour. In every case the thenar flap was harvested from the left forearm. Arteries were anastomosed to cervical arteries on either side. The veins were anastomosed to the deep jugular or subclavian vein. Patients were followed up clinically after 3, 6, and 12 months and radiologically every 6 months. The mean length of the pedicle was 21 cm. The mean width of the flap was 27 mm (range 24-30) and the mean length 37 mm (range 26-49). All anastomoses worked well. All flaps healed without major complications. A thin but stable layer of soft tissue resulted in every case. All patients were able to wear their prostheses. Good functional and aesthetic results were seen at each follow-up visit, and there were no signs of relapse. The microvascular thenar flap is well-suited for reconstruction of thin layers of soft tissue in the oral cavity. The long pedicle and hairlessness are also ideal for covering intraoral defects after previous operations and in necks with few if any vessels. Primary wound closure is possible in many cases.