Flap reconstruction of the stenotic vagina.

Reconstruction of the congenital or acquired stenotic vagina has traditionally been accomplished by skin grafting or reverse perineorrhaphy in addition to other less successful methods. The advent of musculocutaneous flaps has provided an excellent means of reconstructing the vagina after exenterative surgical treatment; however, the bulk associated with these flaps has precluded their use in reconstruction of the stenotic vagina. Thin, supple, axial pattern fasciocutaneous flaps based on the terminal branches of the internal pudendal artery provide a reliable and durable vaginal lining after surgical enlargement. Seven flaps have been used in four patients without complications. A follow-up period of greater than three years has yielded excellent results.

Inferior alveolar nerve reconstruction with a polyglycolic acid bioabsorbable nerve conduit.

A custom-designed polyglycolic acid (PGA) bioabsorbable nerve conduit was used to reconstruct a 25-mm defect in the right inferior alveolar nerve. The initial nerve injury, following a dental extraction, resulted in loss of lower lip sensation and severe facial pain. Sixteen months after tooth extraction, with no improvement in symptomatology, the alveolar canal was enlarged in diameter by means of mandibular osteotomy to accommodate a 2-mm-diameter polyglycolic acid tube. The proximal end of the inferior alveolar nerve was sutured into the polyglycolic acid tube. The mental nerve was sutured into the distal end of the tube. Pain of neural origin was relieved in the early postoperative period. Two years following nerve reconstruction, pain relief remains excellent and perception of pressure and vibration is similar to the thresholds for these perceptions on the contralateral lip.

Effect of parenteral steroids on edema in replanted rat legs.

The experiments described demonstrate that parenteral steroid therapy will decrease the amount of postoperative edema in the replanted leg of a rat.

Frontal cranioplasty: risk factors and choice of cranial vault reconstructive material.

A study of patients with large cranial defects involving the frontal bone, frontal sinus, nose, and orbit does not support the contention that there is a clear superiority of reconstructive material despite a history of previous bone infection. No patient with an isolated cranial reconstruction experienced an infection despite location in the area of the frontal sinus or the use of acrylic material. All patients experiencing infection underwent simultaneous reconstruction of the frontal cranium and nose and three- or four-wall reconstruction of the orbit, where the frontal sinus had previously been eliminated and where a previous bone infection had been present. Risk factors associated with cranioplasty were timing (p = 0.001) and cranial vault reconstruction in communication with previously infected ethmoid sinuses and the nose (p = 0.03). A history of previous bone infection suggests increased risk (p = 0.15). The choice of reconstructive material was not significant, although acrylic cranioplasties did not experience the complications expected from a review of the literature.

Rigid stabilization of sagittal fractures of the maxilla and palate.

Rigid stabilization of sagittal fractures of the palate is described that utilizes plate and screw fixation in the palatal vault. Accurate reduction of facial width is obtained, and stability is significantly enhanced. An existing laceration or a longitudinal incision in the palatal mucoperiosteum provides exposure for maxillary adaption plate application. The transpalatal reduction should be supplemented by fixation at the piriform aperture, the zygomaticomaxillary and nasomaxillary buttresses, and by the use of an arch bar. Since slower bone healing may be observed following palatoalveolar fractures, the occlusion must be observed for deviation throughout a full 16-week period even though early motion and soft diet are permitted. Removal of the plate and screws in the roof of the mouth is sometimes required and utilizes local anesthesia.

Midface fractures: advantages of immediate extended open reduction and bone grafting.

Experience with 240 midface (Le Fort and zygoma) fractures in multiple trauma patients has emphasized that superior aesthetic results are obtained by immediate extended open reduction with primary bone grafting. Internal fixation of 110 zygomatic and 130 Le Fort fractures was performed in the lower midface (zygomaticomaxillary and nasomaxillary buttresses). Open reduction of the condyle was employed in five concomitant Le Fort and subcondylar fractures with a loss of ramus height to prevent superior and posterior displacement of the middle and lower face. Bone grafts were utilized in 74 patients. They were most frequently employed in the orbit and less frequently in the lower midface. Bone graft survival paralleled that observed under elective conditions, and a slightly higher infection rate was observed. Extended open reduction and immediate bone grafting adds a new dimension to the aesthetic results obtained from facial fracture treatment. Structural bony integrity and pre-injury facial architecture may be restored in the absence of soft-tissue contracture. Restoration of the pre-injury facial architecture (the essence of facial fracture treatment) is more accurately accomplished when these techniques are utilized.

Management of the medial canthal tendon in nasoethmoid orbital fractures: the importance of the central fragment in classification and treatment.

The medial canthal tendon and the fragment of bone on which it inserts ("central" fragment) are the critical factors in the diagnosis and treatment of nasoethmoid orbital fractures. The status of the tendon, the tendon-bearing bone segment, and the fracture pattern define a clinically useful classification system. Three patterns of fracture are appreciated: type I--single-segment central fragment; type II--comminuted central fragment with fractures remaining external to the medial canthal tendon insertion; and type III--comminuted central fragment with fractures extending into bone bearing the canthal insertion. Injuries are further classified as unilateral and bilateral and by their extension into other anatomic areas. The fracture pattern determines exposure and fixation. Inferior approaches alone are advised for unilateral single-segment injuries that are nondisplaced superiorly. Superior and inferior approaches are required for displaced unilateral single-segment injuries, for bilateral single-segment injuries, and for all comminuted fractures. Complete interfragment wiring of all segments is stabilized by junctional rigid fixation. All comminuted fractures require transnasal wiring of the bones of the medial orbital rim (medial canthal tendon-bearing or "central" bone fragment). If the fracture does not extend through the canthal insertion, the canthus should not be detached to accomplish the reduction.

Treatment of the ameloblastoma: a controversy.

Treatment of the ameloblastoma should be re-evaluated based on microscopic behavior. We suggest that conservative therapy is the initial treatment of choice. Although medullary bone is invaded by tumor cells, compact bone only is eroded. Therefore, treatment should be directed at removal of involved medullary bone, leaving as much medial and lateral cortical plates and inferior mandibular border as possible. Four patients with ameloblastoma treated conservatively are presented. Evaluation from 21 months to seven years after initial therapy revealed marked bone regeneration. Three of the four had smaller lesions remaining, requiring less radical surgery than would normally have been performed initially. No tumor was evident on rebiopsy of the fourth patient. Conservative treatment and proper follow-up were acceptable methods of initial treatment in our cases.