Journal Reviews
Treating laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancers with pharyngolaryngectomy
The debate amongst head and neck surgeons, as to whether a skin flap or enteric flap offers superior outcomes in pharyngeal reconstruction, still rumbles on. The evidence pool is very shallow, even accounting for the so-called ‘landmark’ papers that swung...
Basic principles of bioengineering and regeneration
The ability to create de novo tissue to replace that removed from patients during surgery is a relatively recent advance. However, this is a fast-moving field and one which surgeons must be aware of from practical, ethical and scientific viewpoints....
Surgery for class III malocclusions pharyngeal airway and sleep apnoea effects
Thirty-three patients from Brazil were assessed for obstructive sleep apnoea and hypopnoea syndrome pre- and six months postoperatively. The 33 patients were made up of nine having mandibular set back surgery, six maxillary advancement and 18 bi-maxillary surgery. They identified...
Tissue engineered flaps
This article provides a thorough summary of the current techniques available in head and neck reconstruction. It details the challenge of restoration of form and function posed by the shape of the craniofacial skeleton and soft tissue. The introduction on...
Honey in the management of mucositis
This is a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Despite some limitations, they were able to identify that honey could reduce the severity of radio / chemotherapy induced oral mucositis. They acknowledge that the exact aetiology in the effect of honey...
Another paper advocating resection templates
Resection in the head and neck region leads to complex defects with significant impairment in function. Reconstruction is even more difficult and to improve the accuracy of both resection and reconstruction a number of aids are used. With the improved...
Is it possible to fix condylar neck fractures with one plate?
Fractures of the condylar neck are fairly common and account for over 25% of all mandible fractures. Over the years a number of modalities have been used to fix these fractures. Direct reduction is complicated by the overlying proximity of...
Reconstruction with scapular tip
Post ablative defects in the maxilla can be extremely complex, involve all three dimensions and result in significant morbidity. Rehabilitation is fraught with difficulties, and a number of options are available, including an obturator or surgical reconstruction with a free...
Old age and postoperative complications of head and neck free flaps
This review examined the relationship between free flap survival in older patients and whether this correlated with specific co-morbid conditions and a ‘cut off’ age.The authors did exclude some papers that specifically focused on one co-morbid condition, such as diabetes,...
Classification of maxillofacial pain
The patient that presents with oral and facial pain can prove a diagnostic conundrum. Whilst most often dental causes can explain the origin and help from our maxillofacial colleagues is warranted, it is useful to have a system for approaching...
All about velopharyngeal dysfunction
The velopharynx functionally separates the oral from the nasal cavities. Inadequate or abnormal function of this muscular valve affects speech and swallow. Velopharyngeal dysfunction can be subdivided into insufficiency, incompetence and mislearning. This is a review paper and indeed a...
Bad splits
This is a meta-analysis of reported risk factors of a ‘bad split’ in a sagittal split mandibular osteotomy. They identified 30 observational articles and therefore acknowledged it is based on low quality studies. It is compounded by the definition of...
