Craniomaxillofacial Fibro-osseous Lesions in Children.

Craniofacial fibro-osseous lesions represent a diverse spectrum of pathologic conditions where fibrous tissue replaces healthy bone, resulting in the formation of irregular, woven bone. They are more commonly diagnosed in young people, with treatment strategies dependent on clinical behavior and skeletal maturity. This article discusses the examples of craniofacial fibro-osseous lesions, based on the latest classifications, along with their diagnostic criteria and management.

Oral Endotracheal Tube Stabilization for Facial Burns in Infants-Report of Two Techniques.

Establishing a secure airway is critical in the acute phase of facial burns. This case report involving a 9-month-old infant with facial burns describes two techniques of securing an oral airway-trans-alveolar wiring and the application of an intermaxillary fixation (IMF) screw. The use of an IMF screw was more reliable than trans-alveolar wiring, as it allowed a secure airway through the patient's hospitalization, which involved seven additional surgical interventions including five separate facial skin grafts over a 3-month period.

What Is the 5-year Incidence of Recurrent Disease of Odontogenic Keratocysts?

PURPOSE: There is no consensus on the ideal treatment of odontogenic keratocysts (OKCs). Certain risk factors may modify the disease recurrence rate. The purpose of this study was: 1) to estimate the incidence of OKC recurrence in a statistically rigorous manner; and 2) to identify risk factors associated with OKC recurrence. METHODS: The investigators designed and implemented a retrospective cohort study and enrolled a sample derived from the population of patients presenting to the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery outpatient clinics at the University of Washington School of Dentistry and Harborview Medical Center for evaluation and management of OKCs between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2020. Predictor variables included demographics (age, gender), radiographic characteristics (location of lesion, locularity, size, and cortical perforation), and type of operation performed (decompression + cystectomy, enucleation ± adjuvant therapy, or resection). The primary outcome variable was time to recurrent disease, defined as the time from treatment to radiographic or clinical evidence of a new lesion (recorded in months). Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to estimate median time to recurrence, and Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify covariates statistically associated with recurrent disease (P ≤ .05). RESULTS: The sample was composed of 60 subjects with 63 previously untreated lesions. Eight subjects (13%) developed a recurrent lesion during the study interval with a median time to recurrence of 31 (interquartile range, 24 to 48) months. One of the 8 recurrences occurred within 12 months of treatment and 7 of the 8 recurrences occurred more than 21 months after treatment. Based on using Kaplan-Meier analysis, the 5-year incidence of disease recurrence was estimated to be 34%. Lesions with cortical perforation were 8.3 times more likely to recur (95% confidence interval [1.7, 41.3]; P-value = .01), and multilocular lesions were 10.6 times more likely to recur (95% confidence interval [1.3, 86.9]; P-value = .03). The sample size was the limiting factor to performing regression analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Virtually every publication on OKCs to date reports frequencies of disease recurrence rather than applying appropriate survival analyses commonly used to estimate outcomes in cancer research. Failure to use the appropriate statistical analyses underestimates the risk of disease recurrence. Our study is no exception. The estimated frequency of disease recurrence during the study interval was 13% (8/60). When survival analyses are applied that account for varying months of follow-up, the incidence of disease recurrence is 34 per 100 per 5 years. We recommend the application of time-to-event analyses in the study of disease entities with the potential for recurrence.

Oral adverse outcomes associated with the buccal mucosa graft for urethroplasty.

OBJECTIVE: The buccal mucosa graft (BMG) is the standard graft for reconstructive urology, but management of the donor site remains under debate. The authors compared postoperative oral adverse outcomes between management methods (closure, nonclosure, or xenograft-assisted closure). STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study was conducted, enrolling patients treated at Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, Washington. The patients had a history of urethroplasty using a unilateral BMG, and the primary outcome variables were postoperative oral adverse outcomes, defined as subjective changes in mouth opening, smile, chewing, speech, intraoral bleeding, paresthesia, trismus, and infection. Multivariate and regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: The sample was composed of 137 patients (95% male; mean age, 48 years). The mean surface areas of the BMG for closure, nonclosure, and xenograft were 1059, 1178, and 1228 mm2, respectively. Thirty-four patients completed the survey (7 closure, 17 nonclosure, and 10 xenograft). Multiple linear regression showed a significant difference between the 3 groups with respect to patient-reported chewing ability and trismus favoring xenograft at larger graft sizes (P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: Xenograft-assisted closure may reduce long-term oral adverse outcomes associated with trismus and subjective changes in chewing, mouth opening, speaking, and smiling with larger grafts. In addition, limited postoperative patient education for oral rehabilitation exercises was noted.

LeFort Fractures.

Consultations for management of facial fractures in the emergency setting are not uncommon for the oral maxillofacial surgeon, otolaryngologist, and/or plastic surgeon. This necessitates a knowledge foundation and working understanding of the evaluation, assessment, and timely management. Here, we will focus on the workup and management of LeFort fractures.

Developing a Research Career.

Research is crucial to train the next generation of academic surgeons. Formal training builds research skills, starting with the ability to generate hypotheses, formulate questions, and address gaps in knowledge. Essential factors that are important to a research pathway include a supportive environment, experienced mentorship team, work-life balance, and a source of funding. Oral and maxillofacial surgery must make diversity a top priority, and protocols must be implemented to retain members of underrepresented groups throughout their careers.

Do Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons Prescribe More Opioids After Third Molar Removal for Patients with Substance Use History?

PURPOSE: Oral and maxillofacial surgeons (OMSs) must manage postoperative pain control for patients who take illicit substances. The purpose of this study was to measure and compare the amount of opioid prescribing between patients with and without self-reported substance use history (SUH) by OMSs after third molar (M3) removal. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The investigators implemented a retrospective cohort study and enrolled a sample of subjects who had M3 removal between January 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019. The primary predictor variable was SUH coded as yes (SUH+) or no (SUH-). The primary and secondary outcome variables were prescribed morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs) and number of postoperative visits due to inadequate pain control (IPC), respectively. Other variables were age, gender, payor, provider, anesthesia, and procedure specific. Descriptive, bivariate, and multiple linear regression models were computed. RESULTS: The sample included 1,112 subjects with a mean age of 25 ± 9 years; 61.2% were female. Of the 1,112 subjects, 198 (17.8%) reported a SUH. Mean MMEs were 70.9 ± 27.9 and 63.4 ± 28.8 in the SUH+ and SUH- groups, respectively (P ≤ .001). An adjusted linear regression model showed a non-significant association between SUH and MMEs prescribed (P = .50). The study showed a non-significant increase (P = .15) in the proportion of patients with IPC in the SUH- group (4.1%) versus the SUH+ group (2.0%). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that 10% more opioids were prescribed for postoperative pain after M3 removal for patients with SUH, though after adjustment, the amount may not be clinically significant. Postoperative pain management after M3 removal in patients with SUH, on average, can be managed in a similar manner as for patients without SUH.

Are Oral Antibiotics an Effective Alternative to Intravenous Antibiotics in Treatment of Osteomyelitis of the Jaw?

PURPOSE: To review treatment of osteomyelitis of the jaw (OMJ) and determine whether antibiotic route and/or length of administration impacts resolution of infection postsurgically. METHODS: The investigators designed a retrospective cohort study enrolling a sample of patients treated at Harborview Medical Center from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2019. The primary predictor variable was antibiotic administration route: oral (PO) only, intravenous (IV) only, IV transitioned to PO (IV + PO), or none. The secondary predictor was duration of antibiotic therapy (≤6 weeks or >6 weeks). The primary outcome variable was resolution of infection at 2 months follow-up posttreatment completion. The secondary outcome variable was number of surgeries to resolution of infection. Descriptive, bivariate, and multiple linear regression statistics were computed, with statistical significance set at P < .05. RESULTS: Sixty-seven individuals met inclusion criteria (38 male), mean age 51 years (18 to 88). Forty-nine (73%) received PO antibiotics, 12 (18%) IV + PO, 3 (4%) IV, and 3 (4%) none. Both PO and IV antibiotics were associated with clinical resolution (P = .022, .005, respectively) compared with debridement alone. Antibiotic duration of ≤6 weeks compared with >6 weeks was not significant. Seventy-six percent (51 of 67) required only 1 surgery. In the multivariate logistic regression, PO was associated with clinical resolution (P = .025, OR = 5.05). Penicillin allergy (P = 0.049, OR = 0.223) and diabetes (P = .008, OR = 0.104) were adversely associated with outcome. CONCLUSIONS: OMJ was successfully treated with oral antibiotics and surgery. Prescribing 6 weeks of IV antibiotics may be antiquated. Clinicians should consider oral penicillins as first line whenever possible. Further studies are recommended.

What Is the Effect of COVID-19-Related Social Distancing on Oral and Maxillofacial Trauma?

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to understand the impact of social distancing policies enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic on the epidemiology of oral and maxillofacial fractures at an urban, Level I trauma center in the United States. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The investigators designed a retrospective cohort study and enrolled a sample of 883 subjects who presented for evaluation of oral and maxillofacial fractures (OMF) between March 1 and June 30 in the years 2018 through 2020. The primary predictor variable was the evaluation of OMF during a period with social distancing policies (2020 - experimental group) or without social distancing policies in place (2018 or 2019 - control group). The primary outcome variables were the facial fracture diagnosis, the abbreviated injury scale (AIS), injury severity score (ISS), and the mechanism of injury. Appropriate univariate and bivariate statistics were computed, and the level of significance was set at P < .05 for all tests. RESULTS: The number of subjects presenting with OMF was lower during the period of social distancing (n = 235 in 2020) than during the periods without (2018: n = 330; 2019: n = 318). During the period of social distancing, there were more individuals who presented secondary to assault, whereas fewer individuals presented secondary to falls (P = .05). On average, those who presented in 2020 had more severe oral and maxillofacial injuries (mean AIS = 3.2 ± 1.2 in 2020 vs 3.0 ± 1.1 in 2019 and 3.0 ± 1.1 in 2018. P = .03) and more overall injuries (mean ISS = 20.7 ± 13.1 in 2020 vs 19.2 ± 12.5 in 2019; 17.8 ± 12.8 in 2018. P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: The investigators found that during the period of social distancing through the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of OMF cases decreased but that the severity of oral and maxillofacial and overall injuries was higher.

Is Gender Associated With Success in Academic Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery?

PURPOSE: Several studies of surgical specialties have shown disparities in measures of research productivity and academic rank between female and male surgeons. The purpose of this work was to measure the role of surgeon gender in academic success in oral and maxillofacial surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study of full-time academic oral and maxillofacial surgeons (OMSs) in the United States as of June 2017. The primary study variable was surgeon gender (male or female). The primary outcome variable was research productivity assessed using 2 different parameters: 1) h index (number of publications h with at least h citations each) and 2) academic rank. The other study variables were demographic characteristics potentially related to the outcome measures. Descriptive, bivariate, and regression statistics were computed. RESULTS: The study sample comprised 306 full-time academic OMSs, 53 (17.3%) of whom were women. On average, female OMSs had shorter academic careers (mean time since completion of training, 11.0 ± 8.2 years for female OMSs vs 22.0 ± 14.1 years for male OMSs; P < .001). There were no other significant differences between male and female OMSs regarding the secondary measures (P ≥ .23). Male OMSs had a higher mean h index than female OMSs (7.1 ± 8.6 vs 5.1 ± 7.9, P = .01). Academic rank was statistically significantly different between female and male OMSs, with a greater proportion of higher ranks seen in male OMSs (P = .001). After adjustment for career length and other confounders or effect modifiers, gender was not an independent predictor of the h index or academic rank (P ≥ .22). CONCLUSIONS: Although female surgeons represent a minority of full-time academic OMSs, academic success measured using research productivity and academic rank was not associated with gender.

Activation of RANK/RANKL/OPG Pathway Is Involved in the Pathophysiology of Fibrous Dysplasia and Associated With Disease Burden.

Fibrous dysplasia of bone (FD) is a mosaic disease caused by mutations in GNAS. Constitutive activation of the α-subunit of the Gs stimulatory protein (Gαs) leads to dysregulated proliferation of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs), generating expansile lesions of fibrotic tissue and abnormal bone. Local bone remodeling regulation by BMSCs is also altered, and FD tissue is characterized by abundant osteoclast-like cells that may be essential for lesion expansion. Animal models show local expression of RANKL in bone lesions, and treatment with the RANKL neutralizing antibody denosumab decreased lesion expansion rate in a patient with aggressive FD. However, the role of RANKL/osteoprotegerin (OPG) in FD pathophysiology is not yet understood. We measured serum levels of RANKL, OPG, and inactive RANKL-OPG complexes in FD patients of known disease burden and in healthy volunteers (HVs). RANK, RANKL, and Ki67 immunohistochemistry were assessed in FD tissue. Cultured FD and HV BMSCs were stimulated with prostaglandin E2 (PGE2 ) and 1,25 vitamin D3 to increase RANKL expression, and media levels of RANKL and OPG were measured. Osteoclastogenic induction by FD or HV BMSCs was assessed in co-cultures with HV peripheral monocytes. FD patients showed a 16-fold increase in serum RANKL compared to HVs. OPG was moderately increased (24%), although RANKL/OPG ratio was 12-fold higher in FD patients than in HVs. These measurements were positively correlated with the skeletal burden score (SBS), a validated marker of overall FD burden. No differences in serum inactive RANKL-OPG complexes were observed. In FD tissue, RANKL+ and Ki67+ fibroblastic cells were observed near RANK+ osteoclasts. High levels of RANKL were released by FD BMSCs cultures, but were undetectable in HV cultures. FD BMSC released less OPG than HV BMSCs. FD, but not HV BMSCs, induced osteoclastogenesis in monocyte co-cultures, which was prevented by denosumab addition. These data are consistent with the role of RANKL as a driver in FD-induced osteoclastogenesis. © 2018 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.