Costochondral graft with green-stick fracture used in reconstruction of the mandibular condyle: experience in 13 clinical cases.

Since its publication in 1920 by Gillies, costochondral grafts have been used by surgeons to replace and injured mandibular condyle and to reconstruct the temporomandibular joint. This procedure is currently applied in cases of congenital dysplasia, developmental defects, temporomandibular ankylosis, neoplastic disease, osteoarthritis and post-traumatic dysfunction. Over the years, various procedures for the reconstruction with this type of graft have been described. In 1989, Mosby and Hiatt described a technique for setting the graft securely, reducing the space between the graft and the mandibular area. In 1998, Monje and Martín-Granizo developed a variation of this method, enabling a precise adaptation of the costochondral graft to the remaining mandibular ramus. The aim of this study is to evaluate the functional and anatomic results of the costochondral graft treatment by green-stick fracture for reconstruction of the TMJ in the 10 years following the description of this technique. We carry out a retrospective study of thirteen cases of temporomandibular pathology (tumors, ankylosis and hypoplasia) treated during a period of ten years from 1998 to 2008. In all these cases, the technique described by Monje and Martín-Granizo was used: removal of the sixth rib, fixation to a titanium mini-plate using screws, making an internal corticotomy in order to obtain a green-stick fracture of the outer cortex, providing adequate adaptation of the graft to the mandibular ramus. The graft was then set in place, attaching it with titanium screws. This technique was successful in achieving optimal ossification, a good interincisal opening and satisfactory cosmetic results. In conclusion, according to our experience, the green-stick fracture for the adaptation of costochondral grafts to the remaining mandibular ramus has presented outstanding results in the surgical treatment of temporomandibular pathology.

Metastasis of renal clear-cell carcinoma to the oral mucosa, an atypical location.

The majority of cases of metastatic tumors involve the mandible and some the maxilla but they are considerably less common in intraoral soft tissues. In addition, the primary tumor is known in the majority of cases; although in one-third of such cases, metastasis is the first clinical manifestation. The most common primary tumors metastasizing to the mouth are lung carcinoma in men and breast carcinoma in women. An oral metastasis implies a serious prognosis, as in the majority of patients there is multiple organ involvement at the time of diagnosis. We present the case of a 52-year old patient with renal pathology who came to the emergency room due to a rapidly increasing gingival tumor. With the provisional clinical diagnosis of a pyogenic granuloma,the tumor was excised. Subsequent anatomopathological analysis revealed a tumor metastasis compatible with clear-cell carcinoma, and its renal origin was confirmed by means of immunohistochemical techniques.

Amyloidosis of the submaxillary gland.

Amyloidosis can be defined as an extracellular deposit of the amyloid fibrillar protein in one or more locations in the organism. Multiple clinical and biochemical forms of amyloid exist, and are characterized according to their fibrillar structural characteristics. The Red Congo stain presents green fluorescence when histologic cuts are observed by polarized light. The deposits of this substance can be focal in nearly any area of the organism, although the perivascular space tends to be affected. We present the case of a woman operated on for myeloma at the base of the cranium who showed no wider affectation at a later study. Fourteen years after the operation the patient showed a progressive growth of the submandibular gland that was diagnosed as a pathological amyloid deposit.