Maxillofacial education in the time of COVID-19: the West Midlands experience.

COVID-19 has accelerated a reliance on virtual technology for the delivery of postgraduate surgical education. We sought to develop a regional teaching programme with robust quality assurance. Webinars were delivered on a weekly basis by subspecialty experts using Zoom™ augmented with interactive polling software. Trainee feedback comprised Likert item rating on content and delivery, free text comments and self-assessed confidence levels using visual analogue scale (VAS) scores. A focus group was also convened and transcripts assessed with grounded theory analysis. Likert items revealed 442 (93.2%) positive responses regarding content and 642 (96.7%) positive responses regarding trainer delivery. There were statistically significant improvements in VAS scores across all programme content. Key themes from the focus group analysis were the pragmatics of delivering online education, issues surrounding trainer interactivity in the virtual world, the identification of the FRCS as a driving factor and a desire for case-based content and pre-learning of information (the 'flipped classroom'). We are continuing to be reactive to trainee feedback in developing our online learning programme which will also include a regional Moodle-based virtual learning environment (VLE), the subject of future educational research in our region.

Clinical negligence claims in oral and maxillofacial surgery over the last 10 years.

According to NHS Resolution, the cost of harm from clinical activity in the last year was £8.3 billion. The steady increase in litigation within the National Health Service (NHS) has led to concerns being raised regarding the sustainability of the NHS, the increasing practice of defensive medicine, and the psychological impact on healthcare professionals. To our knowledge, litigation within oral and maxillofacial surgery has not been investigated in the UK since 2010, therefore our aims were to identify the trends within our specialty and the common reasons for negligence claims over the last 10 years. A freedom of information request was made to NHS Resolution for all clinical negligence claims from 2010 to 2020. A total of 1,122 claims were registered and the total for damages paid was £32,631,131. The claims were categorised by the primary injury and further divided into groups of cause codes. Four types of primary injury comprised 65.4% (n = 734) of all negligence claims and were as follows: additional or unnecessary operations (n = 313, 27.9%), unnecessary pain (n = 156, 13.9%), nerve damage (n = 139, 12.4%), and dental damage (n = 126, 11.2%). The damages associated with nerve damage were the costliest, with a total of £8,033,737 being paid. The significant increase in the number and cost of clinical negligence claims is concerning. The lessons from these claims must be shared and implemented to reduce the burden on the NHS, and ensure that we are providing a high quality of care with improved patient outcomes.

Validation of an extended total joint replacement (eTJR) classification system for the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).

The aim of this paper was to validate a previously described classification system for extended total joint replacements (eTJRs) of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). We engaged an expert panel to review 60 TMJ eTJR devices and classify them using the system, examining their responses for inter-rater agreement and concordance with the correct response as determined by the authors. Conger's kappa was 0.34 for the fossa (F) component sub-classification and 0.67 for the mandibular (M) component. A posthoc analysis showed improvements in inter-rater agreement for a modified three-tiered F sub-classification system which is suggested in a revised version of the TMJ eTJR classification system.

Following COVID-19 clinicians now overwhelmingly accept virtual clinics in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.

Virtual consultations and telemedicine have been an emerging trend in modern medicine, which has seen acceleration in uptake across a wide range of specialties as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Following on from previous work by the authors in 2019 examining clinician and patient appetite for virtual consultations in maxillofacial surgery, we sought to evaluate whether there had been a change in attitudes as a result of the pandemic. A clinician survey of the consultants at a large teaching hospital and prospective data collection of virtual consultation outcomes was carried out from the inception of UK government lockdown measures to tackle the pandemic. From 151 consultations, 149 (98.7%) successfully established a working diagnosis and treatment plan and/or concluded an episode of patient care, without the need to convert to a face-to-face encounter between clinician and patient. The total number of consultations (virtual or otherwise) was significantly lower than the same time period the preceding year however (1,223 compared with 465 consultations). All consultants surveyed felt the pandemic had altered their opinion of virtual clinics and their place in maxillofacial surgery but cited a number of issues. Further work is required to understand the driving forces behind staff attitudes and the long-term adoption of telemedicine within the specialty as services return to some sense of normalcy.

Birmingham mandible and midface rules: determining variables for inclusion in a clinical predictor rule.

Staff in emergency departments often rely on heuristics and algorithms to make clinical decisions on a wide range of problems. Clinical predictor rules such as the Ottawa ankle rules serve to reduce the need for unnecessary radiographs and help to give frontline staff the confidence to make a diagnosis. The current study aimed to achieve consensus on the variables to test for inclusion in a set of predictor rules for suspected fractures of the mandible and midface. A three-stage modified Delphi study was conducted of members and fellows of the British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (BAOMS). At the third stage, there was agreement of more than 51% to retain 11/35 of the suggested predictors for mandibular fractures and 14/28 of the midface predictors. To develop and validate clinical predictor rules for use by frontline staff, these variables will now form part of a prospective data gathering exercise at a major trauma centre.

Clinicians' and patients' acceptance of the virtual clinic concept in maxillofacial surgery: a departmental survey.

Virtual clinics have been proposed as a method of reducing costs and improving services in the National Health Service (NHS). The aim of this research was to assess the attitudes of clinicians and patients towards virtual consultations in a department of oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS). Patients and clinicians at conventional OMFS adult outpatient clinics were prospectively interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Variables recorded included type of consultation, overall attitude, time travelled, and mode of transport. Patients' notes were assessed retrospectively to check if examinations had been done. A total of 146 patients (100%) completed the surveys, and 108 of them (74%) were amenable to having virtual consultations in the future. Such appointments may have been suitable for 19 patients who did not have examinations. Chi squared analysis showed no relation between type of appointment and preference for a virtual consultation (p=0.087). To introduce a virtual consultation system in our department and to assess its efficacy once implemented, further development and research are required.

Storiform collagenoma (sclerotic fibroma) of the oral mucosa.

Storiform collagenoma (also called sclerotic fibroma) is uncommon, occurs as a cutaneous fibrous neoplasm, and is particularly rare in mucosal tissue in the head and neck. We describe an unexpected diagnosis in the oral cavity. Histopathological examination showed a proliferation of fibrous tissue, which was well circumscribed but unencapsulated, with thick laminated bundles of eosinophilic collagen that exhibited a storiform or "whorled" pattern. First described by Weary et al in 1972, storiform collagenoma is a marker for Cowden's disease or PTEN hamartoma tumour syndrome. Identification of other synchronous lesions should prompt chromosomal analysis for a mutation in the PTEN gene on chromosome 10q23.

Review of emerging temporomandibular joint total joint replacement systems.

Total temporomandibular joint (TMJ) replacement has been documented as a viable option for the management of end-stage TMJ disease, but data on long-term outcomes have been reported for only two established systems: TMJ Concepts, and Zimmer Biomet. Other devices are now emerging globally, but reports of preclinical laboratory and clinical outcomes are limited. We retrieved information on the design, material composition, preclinical laboratory tests, regulatory status, and clinical outcomes of new TMJ replacement systems from PubMed and Google, and from personal correspondence with surgeons worldwide. Fifteen countries have developed, or are developing, 27 TMJ replacement systems, of which 21 are custom-designed, but to date, only four have been given regulatory approval. All the devices are designed to have both a skull-based glenoid fossa component and a mandibular ramus or condyle, and 22/27 are similar to the designs of the two established systems. Twenty-one devices use an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fossa-bearing surface, and 10 have a titanium alloy condyle. Nineteen manufacturers report that a titanium alloy is used for the ramus portion of the condyle/ramus component. Preclinical laboratory tests on 12 of the systems have been reported but, to our knowledge, no outcomes have yet been reported on nine of the 27 reviewed. Not all systems are equal in terms of design, material composition, preclinical laboratory testing, manufacturing methods, regulatory status, and reports of clinical outcomes.

Extended total temporomandibular joint replacements: a classification system.

Prosthetic total temporomandibular joint (TMJ) replacement (TJR) is well established in the United Kingdom, with clear guidelines for indications and nationally published outcomes. CAD/CAM technology has made it possible to push the boundaries of custom-made TJR to include extended versions (eTJR), which may replace segmental mandibular defects or defects in the skull base with extended components for the ramus and fossa, respectively. Such prostheses are uncommon, and published reports are restricted to isolated cases and series of cases. We know of no previous attempts to classify such prostheses, and here we suggest a bipartite classification system for use in communications between surgeons and manufacturers based on a review of 19 prostheses provided by one manufacturer (TMJ Concepts, Ventura, CA).

Current thinking in medical education research: an overview.

Medical education is fast becoming a separate focus, and together with their clinical commitments, many clinicians now seek higher qualifications and professional accreditation in the field. Research is also developing, and there is a need for evidence-based practice in education, just as in clinical work. This review gives an overview of research into medical education, and explains the fundamentals of educational theory and the specific considerations for the quantitative and qualitative research methods that pertain to it. It also explains the application of these methods to two growing areas of research: technology-enhanced learning (TEL) and normative ethics in training.

The provision of surgical tracheostomies by maxillofacial surgeons in the UK: time for a dedicated tracheostomy team?

Surgical tracheostomy is a commonly provided service by surgical teams for patients in intensive care where percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy is contraindicated. A number of factors may interfere with its provision on shared emergency operating lists, potentially prolonging the stay in intensive care. We undertook a two-part project to examine the factors that might delay provision of surgical tracheostomy in the intensive care unit. The first part was a prospective audit of practice within the University Hospital Coventry. This was followed by a telephone survey of oral and maxillofacial surgery units throughout the UK. In the intensive care unit at University Hospital Coventry, of 39 referrals, 21 (53.8%) were delayed beyond 24 hours. There was a mean (standard deviation) time to delay of 2.2 days (0.9 days) and the most common cause of delay was surgeon decision, accounting for 13 (61.9%) delays. From a telephone survey of 140 units nationwide, 40 (28.4%) were regularly involved in the provision of surgical tracheostomies for intensive care and 17 (42.5%) experienced delays beyond 24 hours, owing to a combination of theatre availability (76.5%) and surgeon availability (47.1%). There is case for having a dedicated tracheostomy team and provisional theatre slot to optimise patient outcomes and reduce delays. We aim to implement such a move within our unit and audit the outcomes prospectively following this change.

UK temporomandibular joint replacement database: a report on one-year outcomes.

Alloplastic temporomandibular joint (TMJ) replacements are increasingly subspecialised, and supraregional centres that treat sufficient numbers to ensure high standards are emerging. Having recently reported the introduction of a national TMJ joint replacement database that is endorsed by the British Association of TMJ Surgeons (BATS), we now present the first-year outcomes. This was a review of all data in the BATS National Case Registration of TMJ Replacement as of June 2014. A total of 252 one-year outcome records were available. Key outcomes were median (IQR) improvements in interincisal distance of 9 (4-15) mm (p<0.001) and worst-sided pain score of 6 (4-8) (p<0.001). Pain scores improved or remained static at one year in all but 3 (2%) patients. There was a significant improvement in the proportion of patients who reported a good, very good, or outstanding quality of life at one year (38% at baseline to 87% at one year; p<0.001). While outcome reports from single centres for alloplastic TMJ replacements have already been published in the United Kingdom, this is the first dedicated national database in this country that will yield valuable longitudinal follow-up data. Outcomes were comparable with smaller published series and showed improvements in pain, dietary intake, quality of life, and function, with few outliers. The database has recently moved to a new software system and we hope to publish three-year and five-year outcomes in due course.

Craniofacial implants at a single centre 2005-2015: retrospective review of 451 implants.

Craniofacial endosseous implants are regularly used to support prostheses in the rehabilitation of complex defects, but reported success rates vary. To review our own clinical practice over 10 years, and particularly to examine the impact of radiotherapy and the timing of placement on the survival of implants, we retrospectively audited the records for all patients who had endosseous implants for prosthetic rehabilitation in our unit between 2005 and 2015. We reviewed 167 records, which gave 451 implants, of which, 222 (49%) were auricular, 98 (22%) nasal, and 131 (29%) orbital. Most were placed after ablative operations for cutaneous malignancy (n=103 patients, 62%). The failure rate of implants placed in bone that was irradiated either before or after placement was significantly higher than that of those placed in non-irradiated bone (univariate analysis: 11% compared with 2%, p<0.001: Kaplan-Meier survival analysis: p<0.001). The timing of placement in relation to radiotherapy (before compared with after) seemed to have no impact on success (p=0.96). Our findings are in keeping with previous reports, and the principal observation is that radiotherapy adversely affects success. We work closely with our maxillofacial prosthetists and place implants at the time of ablation. Our findings seem to support this practice regardless of whether or not the patient will later require adjuvant radiotherapy.