Orbital fractures treated in a university hospital of southern Italy: epidemiology, outcomes and prognostic factors resulting from 538 retrospectively analyzed cases.

PURPOSE: Orbital fractures are common injuries and represent an interesting chapter in maxillofacial surgery. This retrospective study analyses data collected from 528 patients surgically treated at the University Hospital "Magna Graecia", Catanzaro, Italy, from 1st January 2007 to 31st January 2021. METHODS: The inclusion criteria were a diagnosis of orbital bone fracture, complete clinical and radiological records, and a minimum follow-up of 12 months. We analyzed gender, age, etiology, fracture type, treatment, timing of repair, and associated complications. RESULTS: The most frequent cause of trauma was road accidents (37.88%), followed by domestic accidents (25.95%). The manifestation of diplopia (72.35%), infraorbital nerve hypoesthesia (53.41%), extrinsic eye movement limitation (51.70%), and enophthalmos (41.29%), determined the indication for surgery. Our trauma team preferred the sub-eyelid approach (79.36%). The study shows a statistical significance in the correlation between the severity of the herniation of the lower rectus muscle and the presence of preoperative diplopia (p-value = 0.00416); We found the same statistical significance for the post-postoperative diplopia (p-value = 0.00385). Patients treated two weeks after the trauma show a higher rate of diplopia and a greater limitation of long-term post-operative eye movements than those treated within two weeks (diplopia 23.08% vs. 15.56%; eye movements limitation 13.33% vs. 7.69%). Early surgical treatment (> 14 days) reduces the likelihood of functional and structural damage to the lower rectus muscle. CONCLUSION: Our data will support future maxillofacial traumatology studies, and the education and prevention measures taken will reduce the incidence of orbital trauma.

Short- and Long-Term Effects of Maxillary Expander with Tongue Crib in Growing Open-Bite and Skeletal Class II Patients: A Retrospective Study.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate short- and long-term changes in growing patients with Class II malocclusion and open bite after rapid maxillary expansion (RME). A retrospective cohort study was conducted with 16 growing patients with open-bite malocclusion enrolled in a group treated with a rapid maxillary expander (RME) with a crib (TG), and 16 untreated patients with similar malocclusion in the control group (CG). Cephalograms were recorded before starting the treatment (T0), at the end of the latency phase (T1), and before the fixed therapy (T2) in order to analyze skeletal and dental changes in vertical, transversal, and sagittal relationships. Statistical analysis was performed with α = 0.05 as level of significance. At the end of the active expansion (T1), all subjects in the TG showed a corrected overbite with a statistically significant difference compared to the CG (p > 0.05). A significant decrease in jaw divergence was found in the TG compared to the CG (p < 0.05). At T2, all treated patients maintained a correct overbite. Statistical analysis revealed a significant decrease in maxillary, mandibular, and intermaxillary divergence in the TG compared to the CG (p < 0.05). This protocol could be effective in growing open-bite patients, showing a long-term decrease in facial divergence. The fixed crib allowed to normalize myofunctional activity.

Removal of dental implants displaced into the maxillary sinus: a retrospective single-center study.

BACKGROUND: The use of dental implants in the prosthetic rehabilitation of the posterior atrophic maxilla might be a challenge procedure because of low bone quantity and quality. This study aimed to report cases of implant displacement or migration into the maxillary sinus treated from 2008 to 2021. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All patients with unintentional insertion and/or displacement of dental implants into the maxillary sinus cavity that underwent surgical removal were included. Variables assessed included the patients' characteristics, past medical history, clinical and radiological findings at presentation, surgical approach (transoral, transnasal, combined), and outcome. RESULTS: A total of forty patients (23 male, 17 female) underwent surgical removal of dental implant displaced in the maxillary sinus. The mean age was 52,3 + 11,3 years. Seven patients presented with oro-antral fistula (OAF). In 15 cases, an ostium obstruction was diagnosed. Twenty-five patients underwent transoral surgery under local anesthesia. Eleven patients were treated solely via transnasal endoscopic approach, and four patients who had an associated OAF underwent surgery through a combined transnasal and transoral approach. All patients healed uneventfully without complications. CONCLUSION: These results and recent literature validate that transoral and transnasal approach, or a combination of these procedures, can be used safely to treat complications following displacement/migration of dental implants in the maxillary sinus. Early surgical removal minimizes sinus inflammation and prevents more invasive procedures. Each procedure presents specific indications that must be carefully evaluated prior to treatment choice to optimize intervention outcomes.

Maxillofacial Fractures in the Province of Terni (Umbria, Italy) in the Last 11 Years: Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic.

The main purpose of this retrospective study is to analyze the main causes and the main anatomical structures involved in maxillofacial traumas in the province of Terni, Umbria. From January 2009 to July 2021, 603 patients were admitted with a maxillofacial trauma diagnosis and underwent surgery at "Santa Maria Hospital" in Terni, Italy. The collected data included sex, age, nationality, cause of trauma, type of fractures, comorbidities, clinical signs, symptoms, date of admission, and date of discharge from the hospital. Causes were divided into 5 categories: road traffic accidents, accidental falls, physical assault, sport accidents, and occupational injuries. Men were more involved than women, with a male:female ratio of 325:1. The mean age of the population was 41.7 years. The main cause of trauma were road traffic accidents (36%), followed by accidental falls (27%), an increasing phenomenon during the current SARS-CoV-2 global pandemic. The orbital floor was the most fractured anatomical site, followed by zygoma and nasal bones.

Protective Effects of Helmet Type on Facial Injuries.

ABSTRACT: The compulsory use of helmet by motorcyclists has lowered the incidence of facial trauma, but there are few studies evaluating the effects of different helmet types on such injuries. The authors collected retrospective data from the medical records of 287 motorcyclists presenting facial injuries treated at the maxillofacial surgery department of the "University Magna Graecia" of Catanzaro city in South Italy between 1 January 2007 and 1 August 2018. Patients were wearing 2 types of crash helmets at the time of the trauma, full face ones or open-face ones, and were compared using the Facial Injury Severity Scale (FISS). Those wearing open-face helmet were 3 times more than those wearing full-face helmet, with a higher FISS score.The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of Italy's compulsory helmet law on the change in helmet use and in particular if protection offered by helmets w4as different according to helmet type. The authors correlated the FISS scores among motorcyclists wearing these 2 tipologies of crash helmet.

Long-term Follow-up after Extracapsular Dissection of Parotid Pleomorphic Adenomas - A Retrospective Study.

Introduction: Parotid pleomorphic adenoma (PPA) is the most common benign salivary gland neoplasm. Extracapsular dissection (ED) arose as a conservative surgical technique alternative to superficial parotidectomy to reduce complications. Materials and Methods: Patients who underwent ED for superficial, <3 cm, mobile parotid lumps (Quer I) between 2004 and 2008 were retrospectively analysed focusing on those with histological diagnosis of pleomorphic adenoma. A retrospective cohort study on 50 patients who accepted to undergo ultrasonography and clinical evaluation for at least 10 years since surgery was performed. Clinical data, surgical reports, and validated questionnaires for the assessment of complications, quality of life (QoL) and aesthetic satisfaction were analysed. Recurrence rate and complications after ED, with their QoL and aesthetic impact, were evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed setting α=0.05 as the level of significance. Results: Low occurrence of complications related to ED was seen. Overall QoL after ED was very good (range 1-7, mean 6,86), due to low complications incidence of complications and their low severity, as assessed by patients through Parotidectomy Outcome Inventory-8 questionnaire. Overall aesthetic satisfaction was high (range 1-10, mean 9,78). Aesthetic satisfaction and QoL was statistically related to onset of complications (P = 0.02504 and P = 0.001859). Tumour localization and dimension was not statistically related to onset of complications (P = 0.8207 and 0.7586). After a mean follow-up of 12.5 years, no recurrences were detected. Discussion: There is a lack of studies with a long-term follow-up after ED for the evaluation of recurrences and complications. Considering our results, the ED technique should be adopted as the first surgical approach for Quer I PPA without suspicion of malignancy.

Cystic lymphangioma in adult: a case report and a review of the literature.

Cystic lymphangioma (CL) in adult is a very rare pathology. Its etiology remains unclear, but it is supposed to be congenital or to be a result of obstruction and lymph fluid retention of developing lymphatic vessels. It generally occurs in the head and neck region, probably because of the rich lymphatics in this area. It can be easily misdiagnosed with other cervicofacial masses. We present the case of a 56-year-old-female presented with a right-sided painless cervical swelling. Ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging were performed and a surgical complete removal was carried out. Histological examination revealed that the mass was composed by a variety of dilated lymph vessels involved in a fibrovascular stroma. Diagnose of CL was done. With this article, we want to highlight the features of CL and its role in the differential diagnoses of adults' cervicofacial masses.

Synchronous Ipsilateral Pleomorphic Adenomas of Parotid and Submandibular Glands: An Unusual Finding.

A rare case of synchronous ipsilateral pleomorphic adenomas (PA) of the left parotid and submandibular glands is reported. Simultaneous multiple PA in major salivary glands are a very rare entity, and merely few cases of ipsilateral synchronous PA involving parotid and submandibular glands are reported in the literature. The case of a 40-year-old female with a six-year history of asymptomatic growing lesion in both left parotid and left submandibular regions is presented. Left superficial parotidectomy and left submandibular gland excision at the same surgery have been performed. The aim of this article is to highlight the importance of an accurate head and neck presurgery examination both clinically and radiologically, keeping in mind the possibility of multiple tumor location.

Mini-retromandibular transparotid approach to subcondylar fractures of the mandible A single Center clinical experience.

AIM: We evaluated the safety and efficacy using a mini-retromandibular transparotid approach to reduce and rigidly fix displaced mandibular condylar neck fractures. MATERIAL OF STUDY: Retrospective evaluation of patients who underwent surgical reduction of condylar fracture from January 2012 to December 2014 at the Department of Cranio Maxillo-Facial Surgery of the University Hospital of Catanzaro, Italy. All the patients were clinically assessed for signs/symptoms of infection, signs of Frey's syndrome or salivary fistula, facial nerve palsy ,postoperative scar, TMJ function, and occlusion with range of mouth opening and deviation. RESULTS: The sample was composed of 15 patients. Good results were achieved in all patients and with an average follow- up of 20 months. No major intraoperative or postoperative complication remained at 6 months of postoperative follow- up. DISCUSSION: Management of condylar fractures is still one of the most controversial topics in maxillofacial surgery. Regarding our experience with the mini-retromandibular approach, we evaluate the advantages in comparison with other extra-oral approaches. Advantages include the shorter working distance from the skin incision to the condyle with direct alignment of the fractured segments, less conspicuous facial surgical scarring with good cosmetic result, short operation time, with a low risk of postoperative complications and possible injuries of the facial nerve. CONCLUSIONS: According to our results, we believe that the mini-retro-mandibular approach is a viable and safe approach for the surgical treatment of condylar fractures, with a relatively low risk of postoperative complications. KEY WORDS: Condylar fracture, Extraoral approach, Mini-retromandibular access.

The Influence of Socioeconomic Factors on the Epidemiology of Maxillofacial Fractures in Southern Italy.

Maxillofacial fractures represent a serious public health problem. Their epidemiology is extremely variable and its analysis is crucial to establish effective treatment and prevention of these injuries. The aim of this multicentric retrospective study was to analyze causes, demographics, incidence, characteristics of 987 patients diagnosed with maxillofacial trauma between 2011 and 2015 at Complex Operative Unit of Maxillofacial Surgery of Federico II University of Naples and Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Italy; 657 male and 310 female patients were admitted in the study. The most frequently observed fracture involved the mandible (399 patients, 35.4%), followed by zygomatic complex (337 patients, 29.9%), orbital walls (160 patients, 14.2%), and nasal bones (129 patients, 11.4%). The most frequent cause of fracture was assaults (30.4%), followed by road traffic injuries (27.2%), falls (23.2%), sport accidents (15.4%), and others causes (2.6%). Significant variations of etiology have been detected between the 2 hospitals in relationship with different migration flow trends and cultural and socioeconomic features. Epidemiological analysis of maxillofacial fractures is crucial to identify the trauma burden and to help in developing a more efficient system to plan resource allocation and to deliver care and preventive measures establishing clinical and research priorities for effective treatment and prevention of these injuries.

Jaw bones regeneration using mesenchymal stem cells. A single-center experience.

PURPOSE: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), which are multipotent stromal cells, are considered to be a promising resource in tissue engineering and tissue regeneration. MSCs have been used to generate new maxillary bone with clinically successful results. The aim of this study was to determine the role of MSC in bone regeneration procedures in patients with benign maxillary lesions. METHODS: A study was conducted on five patients treated for maxillary bone defects resulting from biopsy of benign lesions at the University Hospital of Magna Græcia, Catanzaro, Italy from January 2015 to October 2016. MSC from autologous bone marrow were used for bone regeneration. The bone mineral density was compared, using the Hounsfield scale, before and after treatment. Follow-up was monthly for six months, and the patients underwent a computed tomography scan of the maxilla at 6 months. RESULTS: Five patients, who underwent biopsy of osteolytic odontogenic benign tumors, were included in the study. There were no intraoperative or postoperative complications. The mean volume of the newly formed bone was 2.44cm3 (range 2,0-3,1) and the mean bone density was 1137 Hounsfield Units (range 898-1355). CONCLUSIONS: Bone regeneration with MSC from autologous bone marrow appears to be a valid treatment option for maxillary bone defects. KEY WORDS: Bone regeneration, Mesenchymal stem cells, BM-MSC, Upper jaw, Mandible.

Effects of cold therapy in the treatment of mandibular angle fractures: hilotherm system vs ice bag.

AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of Hilotherm, a recently introduced cooling system, in controlling postoperative edema and pain and to compare the results with those obtained with conventional cryotherapy. MATERIAL OF STUDY: The investigators selected 40 patients with unilateral angle fracture of the jaw and divided them into two groups, cryotherapy with ice bag (A group), and Hilotherapy system (B Group); both groups with the same drug treatment. Facial swelling was preoperatively quantified measuring skin segments (called α, ß, γ and δ), pain and patient satisfaction were measured for each with questionnaires. RESULTS: Data analysis showed better decrease of soft tissue edema and better pain control with Hilotherapy system in post-surgical treatment. DISCUSSION: The cooling procedures described are ice packs, gel packs or cold compresses. An alternative to conventional cooling methods is Hilotherapy (HilothermGmbH, Ludwigsburg, Germany) a water-circulating cooling device that permits continuous cooling through a face polyurethane preshaped mask. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that Hilotherm is the better method for patient's postoperative edema and pain management when compared to conventional cooling probably due to possibility of mean temperature control and to greater patient's compliance. KEY WORDS: Cold therapy, Cooling methods, Mandibular fractures.

A case of symmetrical lipomatosis of the tongue presenting as macroglossia.

UNLABELLED: Lipomas are the most common benign soft tissue mesenchymal tumours composed of mature adipose tissue. They are uncommon in the oral and maxillofacial regions, with 15-20 % of cases involving the head and neck region and less than 5% of all benign oral lesions. Multiple symmetric lipomatosis is rare and characterized by diffuse growth and nonencapsulated lipomas. It is usually found in the posterior neck and upper trunk and they are relatively infrequent on the oral and maxillofacial regions like Madelung disease. In the report, we describe a rare case of symmetrical lipomatosis of tongue with OSAS and Dysartria. This lesions were resected under general anesthesia. Intraoperative findings revealed only adipose tissues with replacement of lingual muscles and no capsulation. The lesion was finally diagnosed as symmetric lipomatosis of the tongue based on clinical radiological and histologic examination. SLT (Symmetrical lipomatosis of the tongue) is an extremely rare case that appears like a macroglossia. Partial glossectomy is the treatment of choice because of the improvement of symptoms and the low rate of recurrence. KEY WORDS: Macroglossia, Oral lipoma, Tongue lipomatosis.

Pleomorphic adenoma of the parotid: extracapsular dissection compared with superficial parotidectomy--a 10-year retrospective cohort study.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the complication rates and effectiveness of extracapsular dissection compared with superficial parotidectomy for pleomorphic adenomas of the parotid gland from 2002 to 2012. The authors carried out a retrospective cohort study of 198 patients with pleomorphic adenomas of the parotid gland. Extracapsular dissection (ED) or superficial parotidectomy (SP) was performed. The recurrence rate and complications of the two surgical techniques were measured with a univariate analysis of each variable using the appropriate statistical analysis (chi-squared test or t-test). A total of 198 patients were enrolled between January 2003 and December 2012. The study included 97 females (48.99%) and 101 males (51.01%) whose mean age was 50.97 years (range 14-75). The type of surgery performed was ED in 153 patients (77.27%, 80 males and 73 females) and SP in 45 patients (22.73%, 21 males and 24 females). The mean follow-up time was 61.02 +/- 4.9 months for the patients treated with ED and 66.4 +/- 4.5 months for the patients treated with SP. Transient facial nerve injury and facial paralysis were significantly more frequent after SP than after ED (P = 0.001 and P = 0.065, resp.). No significant differences in capsular rupture, recurrence, and salivary fistula were observed after SP or ED: 2.2% versus 3.9%, 2.2% versus 3.3%, and 2.2% versus 0.65%, respectively. Extracapsular dissection may be considered the treatment of choice for pleomorphic adenomas located in the superficial portion of the parotid gland because this technique showed similar effectiveness and fewer side effects than superficial parotidectomy.

Cervical facial necrotizing fasciitis with medistinic spread from odontogenic origin. Two case reports.

Necrotizing fasciitis is an uncommon soft tissue infection, usually caused by toxin-producing virulent bacteria especially in mediastinum. It is characterized by widespread fascial necrosis primarily caused by Streptococcus hemolyticus characterized by necrosis of skin, subcutaneous tissues, fasciae, and muscles. It usually occurs in adults and is most often localized to the abdominal wall, the extremities, the perineum, the pelvis, and the thoracic region. Localization to the head and neck area is rarely encountered. Descending necrotising mediastinitis is a form of mediastinitis caused by odontogenic infection or deep cervical infections, which spreads to the mediastinum from the cervical fascial planes. Early diagnosis, prompt surgical drainage, monitoring of disease process, appropriate medical management in an intensive care unit and a multi-disciplinary approach can significantly reduces the mortality in this otherwise fatal condition.

Unique and rare bone metastases from occult primary cancer. Our experience.

AIM: The aim of our study is to describe the rare location of metastasis cancers (kidney and prostate) in the jaw bones (maxillary branch and the condyle); this is the first and the only sign of disease. MATERIAL OF STUDY: Two patients referred to us for a swelling in his left preauricolar region with a moderate pain. They underwent a radiologic and bioptic examinations that showed a metastasis which could arise from a primary prostatic and renal adenocarcinoma. The patients underwent surgical treatment (Subtotal-emimandibulectomy and reconstruction with metallic endoprosthesis). RESULTS: The final follow up for the first patient was acceptable and without any motor or sensory deficit. The patient also underwent chemotherapy for his primary tumour and radiotherapy of his mandibular condyle metastasis during the preoperative stage. The final follow-up of the second patient was performer two years after the surgery and it did not show any recurrence and after about 18 months from surgery has performed dentistry rehabilitation. The patient had a chemotherapy treatment with the administration of bisphosphonates for the presence of skeletal metastases. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Just 1% of carcinomas metastasizes in jaw bones. The low rate is linked to the low active bone marrow content in jaw bones of adult patients. For the prostatic and breast adenocarcinomas the neoplastic embolis reaches the skeleton directly, passing through the vertebral venous system (Batson's hypothesis). Early diagnosis made the treatment both of the primary tumour and of its recurrence (single metastasis) more effective.

An unusual localization of intraosseus schwannoma: mandibular localization and new pathogenetic prospectives.

AIM: The aim of the study is to give an explanation on the Intra-osseous Schwanoma etio-pathogenesis, based on the isto-pathological findings presented by the Authors. MATERIAL OF STUDY: In a 40 years old patient with pain on the territory innervated by the third right trigeminal branch, OPT showed a like ground-glass area that involved the mandible with the mandibular canal disappearance and dental roots resorption. They removed the lesion with preservation of the vascular-neural beam on which the lesion were extremely attached; the histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of intra-osseous Schwannoma. Immunohistochemically the Schwannoma labelled with antibodies to S-100, Vimentin, Osteopontin and Osteonectin. RESULST: The clinical and radiological follow-up after one year since the surgery, using OPT showed an improvement of bone formation and the disappearance of the pain. DISCUSSION: Schwannoma rarely presents as an intraosseous mass, comprising less than 1% of all bone tumors with a strong predilection for the mandible. Data like the expression of osteopontin are believed to be distinctive feature of other schwannian cell tumors such as the granular cell tumor. Such data might explain the prevalence of mandibular location among the rare intraosseous schwannomas and might point out that the calcified shwannoma of the skull is similar to an hamartomatous lesion.

Interleukine-6 (IL-6) may be a link between myasthenia gravis and myoepithelioma of the parotid gland.

Myoepithelioma is a rare benign neoplasm of the salivary glands occurring more frequently in the parotids. Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a chronic, T-cell dependent, antibody and complement-mediated autoimmune neuromuscular transmission disorder. Interleukine-6 (IL-6) is an immune protein belonging to the family of the hematopoietins, liberated in response to infection, burns, trauma, and neoplastic diseases. It seems that an overproduction of IL-6 might play an important role in the pathophysiology of MG. Moreover, it has been discussed the possible role of IL-6 as a modulating factor either in proliferation or in differentiation of pleomorphic adenoma cell line into myoepithelioma. The authors present a rare case of parotid myoepithelioma occurred in a patient affected by myasthenia gravis and suppose a possible IL-6 mediated relationship between myasthenia gravis and parotid myoepithelioma.