Quality of life in oncologic patients after maxillectomy operations: clinical case series on different rehabilitation protocols.

OBJECTIVE: The study's purpose was to compare the quality of life (QoL) in oncologic patients treated with different rehabilitation protocols following maxillary tumor resections. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The patients were divided into three groups. Group A: 18 Patients with maxillary obturator prosthesis. Group B: 17 Patients with simultaneous autologous tissue reconstruction. Group C: 12 Patients with prosthesis on zygomatic implants. The post-operative QoL was compared using standard questionnaires, investigating items like pain, mood, social relations, and specific functions that could potentially compromise the post-operative QoL. A secondary analysis compared reconstructed vs. non-reconstructed patients. RESULTS: Most questionnaire items did not show significant differences among groups. Statistically significant outcomes were found in two parameters (social contact and sexuality), in which patients treated with zygomatic implants had the best satisfaction, and patients with obturator prostheses showed the lowest satisfaction. Patients belonging to the non-reconstructed group showed better moods than those in the reconstructed group, while taste problem complaints and pain were lower in the reconstructed group. CONCLUSIONS: Although the type of reconstruction procedure depends on the type of maxillectomy to be performed and on the general health situation of each patient, the impact of the rehabilitation protocol on the patients' QoL should be accounted for when planning the treatment.

A novel guided zygomatic implant surgery system compared to free hand: A human cadaver study on accuracy.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this human cadaver study was to compare the accuracy of guided versus free-hand zygomatic implant placement. For the guided implant placement laser sintered titanium templates were used. METHODS: Forty zygomatic implants were placed in ten cadavers heads. For each case two implants were inserted using the guided protocol (Ezgoma guide, Noris Medical, Israel) and the related surgical kit and the other two by using a free hand approach. Post-operative computed tomography (CT) scans were carried out to assess the deviations between planned and inserted implants. The accuracy was measured by overlaying the post-operative CT scan (with the final position of the achieved implants) with the pre-operative CT scan (with the planned implants). RESULTS: The difference of the mean between planned and placed zygomatic implants by using surgical guides or free hand were statistically significant for all the variables evaluated: angular deviation (1.19°±0.40° and 4.92°±1.71°, p<0.001), linear distance deviation at coronal point (0.88 mm±0.33 mm and 2.04 mm±0.56 mm, p<0.001), at apical point (0.79 mm±0.23 mm and 3.23 mm±1.43 mm, p<0.001) and at apical depth (0.35 mm±0.25 mm and 1.02 mm±0.61 mm, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The proposed guided surgery system exhibited a higher accuracy for all the investigated variables, when compared to the free hand technique.

The use of silicon elastomer in maxillofacial rehabilitation as a substitute for or in conjunction with resins.

Maxillofacial prosthetic rehabilitation aims to restore anatomic function when serious tissue defects are present, as a result of congenital factors, trauma, or surgery. The aims are both aesthetic and functional, and results are obtained using devices that contain, reconstruct, and fill. This study introduces a technique using methods and materials that are acceptable to the patient in that they satisfy chewing, phonetic, and aesthetic functions, while respecting bone structure and restoring function to the soft tissues without causing trauma to them. Our techniques do not use innovative materials, but ones that are structurally different and that, until now, have not been connected with attachment systems. Acrylic resin, acetylic resin, and silicon are used, each in such a way as to take maximum advantage of each material's characteristics and thus give the best results.

Autogenous calvarial bone graft harvest: intraoperational complications.

In the field of maxillofacial reconstructive surgery, the authors take into consideration the autogenous calvarial bone graft harvest technique for the correction of maxilla bone defects and examine some salient aspects such as technical problems and possible surgical complications.

[Fine needle biopsy in the preoperative diagnosis of parotid tumors]. / Validità dell'agobiopsia ad ago fine nella diagnostica preoperatoria delle tumefazioni parotidee.

Fine-needle aspiration biopsy is of particular interest in the parotid sites because, here, pathology with different treatments and prognosis manifest themself in the same way. The preoperative diagnosis of neoplasm is often problematic. As is known, this is correlated to several factors including histology, clinical and instrumental semiology. The instrumental image techniques (sialography, thermography, scintigraphy, ultrasound diagnosis, tac sialo-tac) give information as to size and location of the mass in question. Only rarely does it give any indication of whether the mass is malignant or benign. The authors systematically studied 386 parotid tumors. The method utilises a traditional technique (needle n. 12/2 gauge 1/4) and microscope examination with immediate dyeing to verify the correctness of the sample. 352 cases underwent surgery with subsequent histological verification. The results demonstrated a generical concordance of cytology and histology in the diagnosis of malignancy equal to 95%. The concordance of exact histology was 91%. The discordance regards, above all, the malignant neoplasm and particularly the mucoepidermoide and the adenoid cystic carcinoma. Fine needle aspiration demonstrates absolute specificity in the differential diagnosis between parotid and extraparotid pathology.