Preservation Rhinoplasty: Assessment of Anatomical Safe Boundaries on Computed Tomography.

BACKGROUND: Nasal dorsum reconstruction is a crucial step of the rhinoplasty. For avoiding complications, techniques that preserve natural dorsal anatomy becomes popular recently. In preservation techniques, ethmoidal bone surgery may take part in the vast majority of defined techniques. Therefore, detailed anatomical knowledge is essential to avoid severe complications, especially cerebrospinal fluid leakage. Based on these, this study aimed to investigate anatomical safe boundaries of preservation techniques based on the measurements on computed tomography. METHODS: A total of 100 patients who underwent paranasal computed tomography were enrolled in this retrospective study. Five groups were selected based on the age distribution. The distance of the dorsal osteotomy line to cranial base, amount of cartilaginous/bony septum overlaps under nasal bones, cartilaginous/bony septum length anterior and posterior to the nasal hump starting point, and anteroposterior distance of perpendicular plate was measured. RESULTS: The mean distance between the starting point of the nasal hump and the cribriform plate was 29.5 mm. The amount of bony overlap above the cartilaginous septum was 10.9 mm in females and 10.5 mm in males. The length of septal cartilage posterior to nasal hump was 0 mm in 39 of 100 patients (39%) and the mean value was 2.38 mm in all populations. The mean distance from the starting point of the perpendicular plate to the cribriform plate was 28.17 mm. CONCLUSIONS: Perpendicular plate may take part in the constitution of the nasal hump. Therefore, delicate surgery with appropriate tools needed for avoiding the risk of skull base injury. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level of Evidence: 3 (Therapeutic).

Assessment of Stability of Craniofacial Implants by Resonant Frequency Analysis.

Implant stability is a principal precondition for the success of implant therapy. Extraoral implants (EO) are mainly used for anchoring of maxillofacial epithesis. However, assessment of implant stability is mostly based on principles derived from oral implants. The aim of this study was to investigate clinical stability of EO craniofacial disk implants (single, double, and triple) by resonance frequency analysis at different stages of the bone's healing. Twenty patients with orbital (11), nasal (5), and auricular (4) defects with 50 EO implants placed for epithesis anchorage were included. Implant stability was measured 3 times; after implant placement, at 3 months and at least after 6 months. A significant increase in implant stability values was noted between all of the measurements, except for triple-disk implants between third and sixth months, and screw implants between 0 and third months. Disk implants showed lower implant stability quotient (ISQ) values compared with screw implants. Triple-disk implants showed better stability compared with single and double-disk implants. Based on resonance frequency analysis values, disk implants could be safely loaded when their ISQ values are 38 (single disks), 47 (double disks), and 48 (triple disks). According to resonance frequency analysis, disk implant stability increased over time, which showed good osseointegration and increasing mineralization. Although EO screw implants showed higher ISQ values than disk implants, disk-type implants can be safely loaded even if lower values of stability are measured.

Assessment of skeletal stability after counterclockwise rotation of the maxillomandibular complex in patients with long-face pattern subjected to orthognathic surgery.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term skeletal stability of counterclockwise maxillomandibular complex rotation in patients undergoing orthognathic surgery for long-face pattern. METHODS: This retrospective study consisted of 10 patients who underwent the procedure between September 2002 and April 2008. To assess the skeletal stability, 30 preoperative (T1), recent postoperative (T2), and late postoperative (T3) cephalometric radiographs of the 10 patients were digitized and traced. To measure the stability in the occlusal plane and mandibular plane, the cephalometric points and planes were determined 3 times. RESULTS: In the long term, on average, the A-point moved 0.21 mm backward (AYT3-AYT2), the B-point moved 0.57 mm backward (BYT3-BYT2), and the posterior nasal spine moved 0.31 mm backward (PNSYT3-PNSYT2). On average, the anterior maxillary area (A-point) moved 0.14 mm downward (AXT3-AXT2), the mandible (B-point) moved 0.07 mm downward (BXT3-BXT2), and the posterior nasal spine moved approximately 0.18 mm upward (PNSXT3-PNSXT2). The occlusal plane increased by 0.75 degrees (OPT3-OPT2), and the mandibular plane increased by 0.45 degrees (MPT3-MPT2). CONCLUSIONS: It was observed that the counterclockwise rotation of the maxillomandibular complex produces stable results in patients with long-face pattern undergoing orthognathic surgery.

Sonic rhinoplasty: innovative applications.

Sonic rhinoplasty involves the use of the Sonopet ultrasonic bone aspirator (Stryker, Inc., Kalamazoo, MI, USA) to precisely sculpt the nasal bones without damage to the surrounding nasal cartilage, soft tissue, and mucosa. By employing ultrasonic waves to emulsify and remove bone under concurrent irrigation and suction, sonic rhinoplasty improves upon the conventional osteotome, drill, rasp, and powered rasp techniques that may be associated with decreased visualization, heat generation, mechanical chatter, and a lack of surgical precision with attendant soft tissue injury. We have applied this technology to bony dorsal hump and nasal spine removal, deepening of the glabellar angle and reshaping of irregular nasal contours, septoplasty, turbinate reduction, and the correction of bony asymmetries.

Septorhinoplasty by disarticulation: early assessment of a new technique for morphological correction of crooked noses.

OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed to assess the early morphological results of a new septorhinoplasty technique based on disarticulation (SRD) between bony and cartilaginous nose structures. METHODOLOGY: A retrospective, multi-judge, blind comparison of pre- and post-operative photographs displayed on Google documents was designed. A nasal morphology analysis grid based on 10 items was fulfilled independently by 6 judges to assess pre- and post-operatively, two times with a 15 day interval, the severity of each deformity by a score between 0 and 2. The sum of all deformities in a single patient produced the individual global score of nasal deformity, which was set between 0 and 20 for each patient. Pre- and post-operative individual global scores were compared using Student`s t test on paired samples. Percentages of post-operative improvement and deterioration were calculated for each item. RESULTS: Thirty-five SRD were analyzed. Before surgery, 80% of noses were humped and 86% were crooked; three months after surgery, 64% of noses had a rectilinear nasal crest on profile and 57% on facial view. The mean global score of deformities drop- ped from 11.1 before surgery to 5.8 after surgery, an improvement of 47% . Improvement rates of 82% and 74.3% were obtained, respectively, for hump profiles and orbitonasal lines. DISCUSSION: The early morphological results of SRD allow to propose this technique as a possible solution to correct crooked noses with humps.

Bone invasion by adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lacrimal gland: preoperative imaging assessment and surgical considerations.

PURPOSE: To identify the incidence of radiologically and histologically documented bony invasion of the lacrimal gland fossa by adenoid cystic carcinoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The authors reviewed the records of all 18 patients with lacrimal gland adenoid cystic carcinoma surgically treated at their institution from 1997 to 2009 for imaging findings (blinded review) and histologic findings on evaluation of the lacrimal gland fossa. Preoperative CT and/or MRI findings were available for 17 patients. RESULTS: The 8 men and 10 women ranged in age from 9 to 69 years. American Joint Committee on Cancer tumor stages after preoperative imaging were as follows: T1N0M0, 2 patients; T2N0M0, 5 patients; T3aN0M0, 2 patients; T3bN0M0, 5 patients; T3bN0M1, 2 patients; T4bN0M0, one patient; and TxN0M0, one patient. Preoperative imaging suggested bony involvement of the lacrimal gland fossa in 13 patients (76.5%); this was histologically confirmed in 11 of the 13. Preoperative imaging suggested no bone involvement in 4 patients, 3 of whom had bone involvement by histology. Overall, 14 of 17 histologically evaluable cases (82.3%) had invasion of the lacrimal gland fossa. Histologic findings of bone/periosteal involvement led to upstaging of 3 tumors. Metastases developed in 8 of 18 patients and trended with basaloid histology (p = 0.066). CONCLUSIONS: Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lacrimal gland is associated with bone invasion in essentially all but the smallest of tumors (T1). This high rate of bone involvement may warrant addressing the bony walls during surgery for adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lacrimal gland.

Assessment of pterygomaxillary separation in Le Fort I Osteotomy in class III patients.

PURPOSE: To examine the separation of the pterygomaxillary region at the posterior nasal spine level after Le Fort I osteotomy in Class III patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study group consisted of 37 Japanese patients with mandibular prognathism and asymmetry, with maxillary retrognathism or asymmetry. A total of 74 sides were examined. Le Fort I osteotomy was performed without a pterygoid osteotome, with an ultrasonic curette used to remove interference at the pterygomaxillary region. Postoperative computed tomography (CT) was analyzed for all patients. The separation of the pterygomaxillary region and the location of the descending palatine artery were assessed. RESULTS: Although acceptable separation between the maxilla and pterygoid plates was achieved in all patients, an exact separation of the pterygomaxillary junction at the posterior nasal spine level was found in only 18 of 74 sides (24%). In 29 of 74 sides (39.2%), the separation occurred anterior to the descending palatine artery. In 29 of 74 sides (39.2%), complete separation between the maxilla and lateral and/or medial pterygoid plate was not achieved, but lower level separation of the maxilla and pterygoid plate was always complete. The maxillary segments could be moved to the postoperative ideal position in all cases. CONCLUSION: Le Fort I osteotomy without an osteotome does not always induce an exact separation at the pterygomaxillary junction at the posterior nasal spine level, but the ultrasonic bone curette can remove the interference between maxillary segment and pterygoid plates more safely.

Pediatric facial fractures: analysis of differences in subspecialty care.

At the University of Michigan, the pediatric facial fracture call schedule rotates through the plastic surgery, otolaryngology, and oral surgery services. This situation provides an opportunity to evaluate differences in the management of pediatric facial fractures between subspecialty groups. At this hospital, a retrospective review of all pediatric facial fracture cases within a 5-year period was undertaken. Sixty patients with 82 facial fractures were studied along subspecialty lines. Differences in patient groups, practice patterns, and treatment strategies based on subspecialty assignment were found. Overall treatment followed traditional lines, with plastic surgeons involved in all types of pediatric facial fractures, whereas otolaryngology and oral surgeons were more limited in their operative scope, despite equal call responsibilities. It is believed that the managed care arena is a competitive environment in which it will be important to know the strengths and weaknesses of the plastic surgery specialty, as well as those of competing specialties, as patient contracts are negotiated. The overlap of plastic surgery, otolaryngology, and oral surgery in the care of facial trauma could result in plastic surgeons being left off of managed care participant lists. This study highlights plastic surgeons as efficient deliverers of quality care for pediatric facial fractures. Although the treatment of these fractures has fallen into the duties shared by all three subspecialties, data such as those presented here should strengthen our ability to succeed in the evolving environment of managed care.

Follow-up of University of Virginia experience with the modified Lothrop procedure.

Current surgical treatment of the frontal sinus disease include external approaches to obliterate or ablate the sinus and both external and transnasal methods to restore drainage into the nasal cavity. The original Lothrop procedure resects the medial frontal sinus floor, superior nasal septum, and intersinus septum, creating a large frontonasal communication. However, as described, the external approach used in this procedure often allowed medial collapse of soft tissue and the stenosis of the nasofrontal communication. This report further relates our experience with the modified transnasal endoscopic Lothrop procedure using suction drills for cases in which frontal recess exploration had failed to relieve obstruction of the frontal sinus. We present an update of the University of Virginia experience in performing the modified Lothrop procedure in 20 patients from 10/93 to 4/95. Our findings over the follow-up period (average 12 months) have verified that this procedure is effective, with a 95% patency rate for the surgically enlarged frontal sinus ostium. When compared to osteoplastic flap with fat obliteration, the modified transnasal Lothrop procedure offers the advantages of a less invasive procedure with a shorter and usually no hospitalization, less morbidity, and the increased ability to evaluate post-operatively for recurrent disease. A patient charge analysis was also performed comparing patients undergoing frontal sinus obliteration during the same time period, revealing an additional benefit of decreased patient costs for the modified transnasal Lothrop procedure. None of our patients experienced complications, and all showed significant improvement, if not complete resolution of their symptoms. Although this procedure has produced favorable results, it should be noted that this procedure is technically demanding and will require further long term follow-up to verify its efficacy and proper role in the spectrum of surgical approaches for the treatment of chronic sinusitis.