Introduction of a Low-Cost and Automated Four-Dimensional Assessment System of the Face.

SUMMARY: Existing automated objective grading systems either fail to consider the face's complex three-dimensional morphology or have poor feasibility and usability. Consumer-based red, green, and blue depth sensors or smartphone integrated three-dimensional hardware can inexpensively collect detailed four-dimensional facial data in real time but are yet to be incorporated into a practical system. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of a proof-of-concept automated four-dimensional facial assessment system using a red/green/blue depth sensor (OpenFAS) for use in a standard clinical environment. This study was performed on healthy adult volunteers and patients with facial nerve palsy. The setup consists of the Intel (Santa Clara, Calif.) RealSense SR300 connected to a laptop running the OpenFAS application. The subject sequentially mimics the facial expressions shown on screen. Each frame is landmarked and automatic anthropometric calculations are performed. Any errors during each session were noted. Landmarking accuracy was estimated by comparing the ground-truth position of landmarks annotated manually with those placed automatically. Eighteen participants were included in the study, nine healthy participants and nine patients with facial nerve palsy. Each session was standardized at approximately 106 seconds. A total of 61.8 percent of landmarks were automatically annotated within approximately 1.575 mm of their ground-truth locations. The findings support that OpenFAS is usable and feasible in routine settings, laying down the critical groundwork for a facial assessment system that addresses the shortcomings of existing tools. The iteration of OpenFAS presented in this study is nascent; future work, including improvements to landmarking accuracy, analyses components, and red/green/blue depth technology, is required before clinical application.

Health-related quality of life in maxillectomy patients undergoing dentoalveolar rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVES: Surgical resection of the maxilla impairs aesthetics, speech, swallowing, and mastication. Maxillary reconstruction is increasingly performed with virtual surgical planning (VSP) to enhance functional dental rehabilitation with a conventional denture or osseointegrated implants. The aim of this study was to determine whether dental status and VSP is associated with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and function in patients who have undergone maxillectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among patients who underwent free flap reconstruction or obturation of the maxilla between July 2009 and December 2020. The FACE-Q Head and Neck Cancer (FACE-Q) module, M.D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI), and Speech Handicap Index (SHI) were used to evaluate HRQOL. RESULTS: Forty-three patients (response rate 59%) completed questionnaires and 48% underwent dental rehabilitation. In Okay Class II and III defects, adjusting for the effect of radiotherapy and time from surgery, there was a positive association between denture status and FACE-Q smiling (p = 0.020), eating (p = 0.012), smiling (p = 0.015), and MDADI global (p = 0.015), emotional (p = 0.027), functional (p = 0.028), and composite (p = 0.029) scores. VSP was associated with FACE-Q swallowing (p = 0.005), drooling (p = 0.030), eating (p = 0.008), smiling (p = 0.021), MDADI global (p = 0.017), emotional (p = 0.041), functional (p = 0.040), composite (p = 0.038), and SHI total scores (p = 0.042). CONCLUSIONS: Dentoalveolar rehabilitation and VSP were associated with higher HRQOL scores relating to eating and drinking, smiling, and speaking.

Dentoalveolar outcomes in maxillary reconstruction: A retrospective review of 85 maxillectomy reconstructions.

BACKGROUND: Although microvascular free flaps are often used to reconstruct maxillary defects, dentoalveolar rehabilitation is arguably less common despite its importance to midface function and aesthetics. The aim of this study is to review the contemporary management of maxillary defects in a single quaternary referral institution to identify factors that assist or impede dentoalveolar rehabilitation. METHODS: A retrospective review of maxillary reconstructions performed between February 2017 and December 2020 was performed. Patient characteristics, defect classification, operative techniques, complications and dentoalveolar outcomes were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 85 maxillary reconstructions were performed in 73 patients. Of the 64 patients where dental rehabilitation was required, 31 received a functional denture (48%) with 24 (38%) being implant-retained. Significant predictors of successful rehabilitation included the use of virtual surgical planning (VSP; 86% vs. 25%, p < 0.001), preoperative prosthodontic assessment (82% vs. 21%, p < 0.001), prefabrication (100% vs. 40%, p = 0.002) and use of the zygomatic implant perforator flap technique (100% vs. 39%, p = 0.001). Preoperative prosthodontic consultation was associated with 21-fold increase in the odds of rehabilitation (odds ratio 20.9, 95% confidence interval 6.54-66.66, p < 0.005). CONCLUSION: Preoperative prosthodontic evaluation, VSP and reconstructive techniques developed to facilitate implant placement are associated with increased dental rehabilitation rates. Despite using an institutional algorithm, functional dentures are frequently prevented by factors including soft tissue constraints, disease recurrence and patient motivation.

Reducing the morbidity of parotidectomy for benign pathology.

BACKGROUND: Conservative surgical approaches, reconstructive techniques and technology are increasingly used in parotid surgery. The aim of this study was to determine the surgeon-modifiable factors which impact the rates of post-operative complications following parotidectomy for benign pathology. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing parotidectomy for benign pathology by or under the supervision of the senior author between 2006 and 2019 was performed. Clinicopathological variables, operative techniques and post-operative complications were recorded using standardized templates. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to obtain odds ratios (ORs) whilst adjusting for the effect of other clinically relevant covariates. RESULTS: In total, 357 parotidectomies were performed. Independent factors associated with post-operative facial paresis were re-operative surgery (OR 3.51, 95% CI 1.19-10.33, P = 0.023), nerve integrity monitoring (OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.26-0.99, P = 0.046) and operation type, with focused tumour dissection (FTD) having the lowest rate of paresis (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.040-0.92, P = 0.038) compared to limited parotidectomy. Factors associated with reduced wound complications on adjusted analysis were dermofat grafting (OR 0.10, 95% CI 0.01-0.72, P = 0.023), lesion size (OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.50-0.92, P = 0.01) and FTD (OR 0.16, 95% CI 0.05-0.59, P = 0.005) compared to limited parotidectomy. CONCLUSION: FTD, nerve integrity monitoring and dermofat grafting are surgeon-modifiable variables associated with lower rates of post-operative complications following parotidectomy for benign pathology. However, the benefit of these operative techniques relies on their appropriate utilization by performing surgeons.