Facial skeletal reconstruction using porous polyethylene implants

A retrospective review of clinical outcomes was performed to determine the clinical utility and morbidity associated with the use of porous polyethylene facial implants. Three hundred seventy implants were placed in 162 consecutive patients, in 178 operations performed in 11 years. The number of patients, the number of implants used, and the average follow-up period were categorized according to the cause of the deformity. The resultant distribution was as follows: acquired (tumor-related), 17 patients, 39 implants, and 30 months; congenital, eight patients, 31 implants, and 92 months; aesthetic, 39 patients, 97 implants, and 24 months; secondary posttraumatic, 48 patients, 139 implants, and 37 months; and acute trauma (internal orbit reconstruction), 50 patients, 64 implants, and 9 months. The distribution of implants according to location was as follows: frontal, 21; temporal, 30; internal orbit, 145; infraorbital rim, 28; malar, 58; paranasal, 29; nasal, 13; mandible, 24; and chin, 22. The combined average follow-up period per patient was 27 months (range, immediate postoperative period to 11 years). All implants were placed in the subperiosteal plane, and the majority were fixed with titanium screws. Antibiotics were administered perioperatively. No implants were extruded or migrated, formed clinically apparent capsules, or caused symptoms attributable to bioincompatibility. The overall reoperation rate was 10 percent (n = 16), which included operations to remove implants because of acute infections (2 percent, n = 3) or a late infection (1 percent, n = 1), to remove implants causing displeasing contours (2 percent, n = 3), and to improve contours (6 percent, n = 9). Porous polyethylene implants have biomaterial properties favorable for facial skeletal augmentation. Screw application of the implants to the skeleton allows precise predictable contouring, thus limiting the need for revisional surgical procedures.     

In situ splitting of a rib graft for reconstruction of the orbital floor.

A technique of in situ split rib graft harvest is described. It has been used in bone graft reconstructions of the orbital floor when small, thin, malleable grafts are desired. The advantages of in situ rib harvest are technical simplicity, diminished risks of known rib harvest-associated complications, and avoidance of the risks involved with in situ split cranial bone harvesting.     

The use of Teflon in orbital floor reconstruction following blunt facial trauma: a 20-year experience

A myriad of materials have been used for reestablishing continuity of the orbital floor following blunt facial trauma. Traditionally, autogenous grafts have been the material of choice for orbital floor reconstruction; however, alloplastic materials have gained popularity because of their availability and ease of use. A large clinical experience with long-term treatment results has never been reported for any substance used in orbital floor reconstruction. The purpose of this study was to review our long-term treatment results using Teflon for orbital floor reconstruction following blunt trauma, with emphasis on the incidence of infection, extrusion, and implant displacement. This report presents a 20-year review of 230 Teflon implants for reconstruction of traumatic orbital floor defects. With a mean follow-up period of 30 months, there was only one implant infection and no complications of extrusion or implant displacement. These findings support the use of Teflon as a safe and effective material for the reconstruction of orbital floor defects following blunt facial trauma.     

Long-term stability of Teflon orbital implants

Teflon orbital floor implants have become controversial owing to reports of implant-related complications. To determine the actual incidence of Teflon implant-related complications and factors associated with complications, we conducted a long-term follow-up study of 77 selected patients. We obtained data on 35 implants in 31 patients with a mean follow-up period of 16 years, representing an experience of 528 patient-implant years. The short-term complication rate (within 1 month of surgery) was 3.9 percent. The long-term complication rate was 2.8 percent. Concomitant antral packing and implantation of Teflon sheet were associated with a markedly higher risk of implant pocket infection. There was no case of implant migration with proper fixation. Facial growth was normal in three children in the series. We conclude that Teflon sheet is well-tolerated in the orbit in the long term. The low complication rate can be further reduced with proper fixation of the implant and avoidance of antral packing at the time of implantation.     

Tissue engineering in female pelvic floor reconstruction

Pelvic organ prolapse is a common and frequently occurring disease in middle‐aged and elderly women. Mesh implantation is an ideal surgical treatment. The polypropylene mesh commonly used in clinical practice has good mechanical properties, but there are long‐term complications. The application of tissue engineering technology in the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse disease can not only meet the mechanical requirements of pelvic floor support, but also be more biocompatible than traditional polypropylene mesh, and can promote tissue repair to a certain extent. In this paper, the progress of tissue engineering was summarized to understand the application of tissue engineering in the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse disease and will help in research.     

Reconstruction of orbital floor fracture using solvent-preserved bone graft

The orbital floor is one of the most frequently damaged parts of the maxillofacial skeleton during facial trauma. Unfavorable aesthetic and functional outcomes are frequent when it is treated inadequately. The treatment consists of spanning the floor defect with a material that can provide structural support and restore the orbital volume. This material should also be biocompatible with the surrounding tissues and easily reshaped to fit the orbital floor. Although various autografts or synthetic materials have been used, there is still no consensus on the ideal reconstruction method of orbital floor defects. This study evaluated the applicability of solvent-preserved cadaveric cranial bone graft and its preliminary results in the reconstruction of the orbital floor fractures. Twenty-five orbital floor fractures of 21 patients who underwent surgical repair with cadaveric bone graft during a 2-year period were included in this study. Pure blowout fractures were determined in nine patients, whereas 12 patients had other accompanying maxillofacial fractures. Of the 21 patients, 14 had clinically evident diplopia (66.7 percent), 12 of them had enophthalmos (57.1 percent), and two of them had gaze restriction preoperatively. Reconstruction of the floor of the orbit was performed following either the subciliary or the transconjunctival approach. A cranial allograft was placed over the defect after sufficient exposure. The mean follow-up period was 9 months. Postoperative diplopia, enophthalmos, eye motility, cosmetic appearance, and complications were documented. None of the patients had any evidence of diplopia, limited eye movement, inflammatory reactions in soft tissues, infection, or graft extrusion in the postoperative period. Providing sufficient orbital volume, no graft resorption was detected in computed tomography scan controls. None of the implants required removal for any reason. Enophthalmos was seen in one patient, and temporary scleral show lasting up to 3 to 6 weeks was detected in another three patients. Satisfactory cosmetic results were obtained in all patients. This study showed that solvent-preserved bone, which is a nonsynthetic, human-originated, processed bioimplant, can be safely used in orbital floor repair and can be considered as another reliable treatment alternative.     

Breast reconstruction with implants and expanders

Breast reconstruction with expanders and implants provides an excellent option in the properly selected patient. Techniques for reconstruction have evolved significantly over the past 30 years with the development of more sophisticated devices and improvement in surgical procedures. Several options exist, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Two-stage breast reconstruction using a textured device with an anatomic shape and integrated valve seems to provide the most consistent and reproducible results in most patients. Those patients with small, minimally ptotic breasts may be candidates for either single-stage implant reconstruction or reconstruction with an adjustable device. Advantages of expander and implant reconstruction over other techniques include relative ease of the procedure; no distant donor-site morbidity; use of tissue of similar color, texture, and sensation; reduced operative time; and more rapid postoperative recovery.     

Incorporation of titanium mesh in orbital and midface reconstruction

Several authors have demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of titanium in orbital reconstruction. One question posed by clinicians is what happens to large pieces of titanium in communication with the paranasal sinuses or nasal-oral-pharyngeal area. This question becomes increasingly relevant as titanium is used to reconstruct extensive defects for which the destruction of bony architecture requires the placement of mesh in proximity to these areas. The objective of this study was to examine the gross and histologic soft-tissue response to large segments of titanium mesh in the setting of orbital and midface reconstruction, particularly when exposed to the nasal-oral-pharyngeal area and paranasal sinuses. In this study, large segments of titanium mesh were used in eight patients to reconstruct orbital and midface defects, with direct communication between the mesh and nasal-oral-pharyngeal area and paranasal sinuses. Four patients had suffered self-inflicted gunshot wounds; as a result, much of their midface was missing, including the inferior and medial orbital floor, maxilla, nose, naso-orbital-ethmoid complex, and hard palate. Extensive sheets of titanium mesh were used to reconstruct their medial and inferior orbital walls, nasal bridge, and maxilla. In the fifth patient, titanium mesh was used to reconstruct the maxilla after resection of a squamous cell carcinoma of the nasolacrimal duct. In the sixth and seventh patients, mesh was used to reconstruct the nasal bridge after severely comminuted nasal fractures resulted in the loss of bone and mucosa. Finally, the eighth patient had titanium mesh used to replace cocaine-induced bone loss involving the left medial orbital floor and wall and part of the maxilla. On gross examination by either endoscopy or direct inspection, all eight patients had rapid soft-tissue incorporation of the titanium mesh. Initial examination typically revealed budding of soft tissue through mesh interstices, followed by progressive incorporation. One patient's mesh was covered in only 15 days. Two patients underwent biopsies of this newly formed soft tissue. One had biopsies performed at 3, 15, and 31 months after the original operation. Biopsy examination at 3 months revealed incorporation of the titanium with fibrous soft tissue covered by ciliated respiratory epithelium, goblet cells, and squamous epithelium with metaplasia. In addition, the dense, acute inflammation present at 3 months evolved into mild, chronic inflammation at 31 months. The second patient had a single biopsy 4 months after secondary orbital reconstruction for delayed enophthalmos. Biopsy examination revealed a fibrous soft-tissue sheath lined by squamous epithelium with metaplasia. Again, mild chronic inflammation was present within the soft tissue. This study provides evidence of titanium's compatibility with soft tissue. The mesh underwent progressive incorporation with soft tissue that was then resurfaced by indigenous cells, including respiratory epithelia and goblet cells. This phenomenon occurred despite communication with the nasal-oral-pharyngeal area and paranasal sinuses.     

Computer-assisted secondary reconstruction of unilateral posttraumatic orbital deformity

Until now, computer-assisted surgery has not been practiced as part of the surgical routine of posttraumatic orbital reconstruction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of a navigation system for computer-assisted preoperative planning with virtual reconstruction to obtain symmetry of the orbits and intraoperative control of virtual contours in comparison with the clinically achieved surgical results. A further objective of the computer-assisted orbital analysis was to use an ideal measurement for the two-dimensional and three-dimensional changes following orbital reconstruction and to check the equality of the postoperative values for the affected orbits in comparison with those of the unaffected sides. Patients with unilateral posttraumatic orbital defects (n = 18) underwent computer-assisted surgery and preoperative planning using a spiral computed tomography database. Surgical procedures were preplanned with virtual correction by mirroring an individually defined three-dimensional segment from the unaffected side onto the deformed side, creating an ideal unilateral reconstruction. These computer-models were intraoperatively used as virtual templates to navigate the preplanned contours and the globe projection using the Stryker-Leibinger navigation system. Individual noninvasive registration with an overall inaccuracy of approximately 1 mm was achieved by using a maxillary occlusal splint with four markers. The mirroring of the unaffected side allowed an ideal virtual reconstruction. A mean decrease in enlarged orbital volume of 4.0 (SD +/- 1.9) cm was achieved, as was a mean increase in the sagittal globe projection of 5.88 (SD +/- 2.98) mm. With a paired Student test, the decrease between the preoperative and postoperative differences of the affected and unaffected sides was proved significant for orbital volume, globe projection, and computed tomography-based Hertel scale changes (p < 0.01). In 15 of 18 cases, simultaneous malar bone advancement resulted primarily in an additional increase in orbital volume before intraorbital augmentation with calvarial split-bone grafts could be performed. Intraorbital bony augmentation included one (n = 1), two (n = 7), three (n = 8), and all four (n = 2) orbital walls. Computer-assisted preoperative planning enables the surgeon to predict reconstructive surgical steps before the operation. Highly vulnerable structures such as the optic nerve can be detected and avoided intraoperatively, and virtually preplanned bone graft positions and/or orbital frame contours can be checked. Computer-assisted preoperative planning and surgery thus advance the difficult surgical field of orbital reconstruction, particularly through a greater exploitation of radiologic information without additional radiation to the patient.     

Late breast pain following reconstruction with polyurethane-covered implants

Two patients of 56 who were reconstructed with polyurethane-coated implants developed breast pain as a late complication and eventually required implant removal for relief. Although the cause of pain was not proven, it may have been due to contracture of the fibrous capsule which formed between the polyurethane and the shell of the implant. The complication of late pain has not been stressed previously in the literature on reconstruction.     

Radiation therapy after immediate breast reconstruction with implants

The use of implants in immediate breast reconstruction is presently a common option. However, the practice should be evaluated in consideration of possible adjuvant therapies needed to control disease and to rule out negative interactions. This article discusses the effects of radiotherapy on breast implants with regard to the final cosmetic result. Six out of 124 cases of immediate breast reconstruction with implants were followed and evaluated in terms of capsular contracture and final aesthetic result after adjuvant radiotherapy and compared with the results of 118 patients who did not require irradiation. All of the patients who received irradiation demonstrated poor to fair results, with grade III to IV capsular contracture. Two patients received radiation therapy for local recurrences, which worsened their capsular contracture, emphasizing the deleterious effect of irradiation on breast implants. Statistical analysis of the results demonstrated a significant difference between the two groups in terms of capsular contracture and breast symmetry. In the selection of patient candidates for immediate breast reconstruction with implants, adjuvant radiation therapy must be considered as a contraindication, at least from an aesthetic point of view.