Congenital Bilateral Zygomatico-Maxillo-Mandibular Fusion Associated With Gum Fusion.

A congenial syngnathia is very rare condition. It can be simple mucosal fusion (synechiae), or complete bony fusion (synostosis) between the maxilla or zygoma and the mandible. Fusion of the ascending ramus of mandible to maxilla and zygoma is less common than fusions of the alveolar ridges of the mandible to the maxilla. Bony syngnathia is either isolated or complex in form. There are 59 cases of congenital bony syngnathia reported in the literature: the first report was by Burket in 1936. There are 16 reported cases of zygomatico-maxillo-mandibular fusion. In the reported cases, women expressed the isolated form more commonly whereas men demonstrated a more complex pattern of disease. The authors present another patient of bony syngnathia involving bilateral fusion of the ascending ramus and body of the mandible with the maxillary complex in a young man. Early surgery was performed to release the bony and soft tissue fusion on the eighth day from the baby's birth. A second operation was performed for recurrence when the baby was 2.5 months old. A customized splint, an intense postoperative program of mouth exercises, and close follow-up aims to prevent further refusion.

Medics against violence--the development of a new violence prevention intervention for schools.

UNLABELLED: This article outlines the rationale, evidence base and development of a new anti-violence intervention for schools delivered in the school setting by healthcare professionals. It is an example of multi-professional and mutli-disciplinary working and demonstrates how all healthcare professionals can be involved in wider healthcare issues. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The majority of victims of violence are young men. Most incidents of interpersonal violence involve injury to the head and neck area, including the dentition. The Medics against Violence Schools Project is very relevant to Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, Oral Surgeons and General Dental Practitioners all of whom may have to deal with the sequelae of such injuries.

The value of postoperative radiographs in the management of zygomatic fractures: prospective study.

It is customary in maxillofacial surgical practice for all patients who have undergone open reduction and or fixation of a fracture of the zygomatic complex to have postoperative radiographs taken before they are discharged. These radiographs are often not reviewed before the patient's departure and in many cases have no bearing on the patient's management. We prospectively reviewed over a 3-month period all patients who were treated for fractures of the zygomatic complex and had no postoperative radiographs. None of these patients had to return to the operating theatre for a further operation, which emphasises the lack of clinical evidence to support routine postoperative radiography in the management of fractures of the zygomatic complex.

Necrotizing soft tissue infections of the head and neck: case reports and literature review.

A small but nevertheless important part of a surgeon's experience comprises necrotizing soft tissue infections of the head and neck. The purpose of this report is to heighten awareness of necrotizing soft tissue infections in any patient with an infection of the head and neck. The article also outlines an appropriate management strategy for use in the treatment of patients with this potentially fatal condition. Prompt diagnosis and early radical surgical debridement are significant factors in avoiding a fatal outcome in these patients. This article reviews the literature on necrotizing soft tissue infections of the head and neck and presents cases from our recent experience.