Inferior border titanium cribs in mandibular reconstruction.

A prospective study was made of 14 patients with mandibular continuity defects not involving the condyle who underwent mandibular reconstruction with autogenous particulate cancellous and bone marrow, autologous fibrin adhesive, and custom-made inferior border titanium cribs. The design and fabrication of the cribs were based on the prediction tracing of the mandibular defects from panoramic radiographs. The mandibular arch form, facial contour, and alveolar bone height were restored with high accuracy. The average follow-up time was 30 months. Autologous fibrin adhesive held the bone particles firmly together and accelerated the bone graft healing, which enabled the early removal of the intermaxillary fixation and restoration of the masticatory function. The results of this study demonstrated that the use of inferior border titanium crib designed from a simple, practical, and inexpensive technique is valuable in mandibular reconstruction.

Morbidity from anterior ilium bone harvest. A comparative study of lateral versus medial surgical approach.

The morbidity of bone harvest was compared between anterior lateral and medial surgical approaches in a randomized prospective study. Forty consecutive patients, each requiring a minimum 40 cc of loose corticocancellous bone for maxillofacial reconstruction, were randomly placed into two equal groups. Morbidity vectors assessed included bone volume, blood loss, length of surgery, length of hospital stay, incidence of seroma, incidence of anterior thigh paresthesia, postoperative pain, and gait disturbance. The results demonstrated no significant difference in morbidity between these two approaches; therefore selection of either approach is the surgeon's personal preference. A thorough understanding of the osseous anatomy of the anterior ilium and its muscular attachments, a good surgical technique, an efficient surgical team, and a continuous flow of required surgical instruments are essential to reduce the morbidity of bone harvest.

Autologous fibrin adhesive in mandibular reconstruction with particulate cancellous bone and marrow.

Displacement of bone graft particles during their placement, neck flap closure, and insertion of the freeze-dried mandibular crib housing the graft to the glenoid fossa is a commonly encountered problem during major mandibular reconstruction with autogenous particulate cancellous bone and marrow. Autologous fibrin adhesive proved to be a solution as demonstrated in a series of 33 cases. In addition to adhesive and hemostatic properties, it helped the remodeling process begin about 50% earlier by providing the substratum for migration of mesenchymal cells, accelerating revascularization and migration of fibroblasts, stimulating the growth of both fibroblasts and osteoblasts, and slowing the multiplication of microorganisms. Bony incorporation and remodeling were detected radiographically at the fourth postoperative week compared with the eighth week in bone grafts without autologous fibrin adhesive.

Relationship of oxygen dose to angiogenesis induction in irradiated tissue.

This study was accomplished in an irradiated rabbit model to assess the angiogenic properties of normobaric oxygen and hyperbaric oxygen as compared with air-breathing controls. Results indicated that normobaric oxygen had no angiogenic properties above normal revascularization of irradiated tissue than did air-breathing controls (p = 0.89). Hyperbaric oxygen demonstrated an eight- to ninefold increased vascular density over both normobaric oxygen and air-breathing controls (p = 0.001). Irradiated tissue develops a hypovascular-hypocellular-hypoxic tissue that does not revascularize spontaneously. Results failed to demonstrate an angiogenic effect of normobaric oxygen. It is suggested that oxygen in this sense is a drug requiring hyperbaric pressures to generate therapeutic effects on chronically hypovascular irradiated tissue.

Introducing the 'walk-up' flap.

Reconstructive oral and maxillofacial surgeons often find the need for additional soft tissue even when a myocutaneous flap has been previously placed. This article introduces the principles, technique, and results of 32 "walk-up" muscle flaps derived from existing myocutaneous flaps. The anastomotic vascular ingrowth at the original myocutaneous flap's distal end permits its proximal detachment and axial vessel ligation to rotate the proximal two thirds to a tissue-deficient site. In our experience at the University of Miami, these flaps have been predictable (97% viable transfer rate), have provided vascular soft tissue in deficient areas, and have been skin grafted at their surface to increase oral lining or skin cover, among several other uses.