Search

Temporary tracheostomies are not always necessary for head and neck free flap reconstruction

Complex head and neck cancer cases with reconstruction can be challenging due to the risk of loss of airway. Temporary tracheostomies are often used to protect the airway following complex oral and maxillofacial ablative surgery and reconstruction. However, while this...

Complications in Facial Plastic Surgery: prevention and management

It is always welcome news to hear of books related to the subspecialty of facial plastic surgery, particularly good books, and this book certainly fits into that category. This multi author book is written by well established facial plastic surgeons...

Locked or unlocked

This is as systematic review and meta-analysis from the Netherlands, evaluating postoperative complications of mandibular fractures using locking and non-locking systems. It is suggested that postoperative complications of surgical treatment of mandibular fractures occur in 20-26% of patients, and it...

Infection in prosthetic temporomandibular joints

This is an overview from an internationally recognised temporomandibular joint (TMJ) surgeon. It is a comprehensive article highlighting that incidence is likely to be underestimated and prevention the main objective. Not surprisingly a lot of the conclusions are based on...

Postoperative delirium

This is a retrospective study from Japan analysing 102 patients who underwent oral cancer resection and free flap reconstruction. Postoperative delirium occurred in a third of these patients. An increased risk was identified in those with high preoperative albumin, postoperative...

Tranexamic acid and blood loss in bimaxillary surgery

This is a randomised, double blind, placebo-controlled trial from Thailand to clarify the most effective dose of Tranexamic acid in reducing blood loss during a bimaxillary osteotomy. They confirmed that the dose of 10mg per kg is the most efficacious...

First signs of late nodal metastases

This is a retrospective review of 65 patients who had late metastases during follow-up after initial curative treatment. They analyse the detection methods of palpation, ultrasound, CT and subjective symptoms. Palpation detected the nodes in 31 patients, ultrasound in 17,...

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....

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...

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...

Carnoy’s and the KOT

This is a retrospective review of 105 patients with keratocystic odontogenic tumours treated over a 23-year period with a mean follow-up of 86 months. The recurrence rate was 11.4%. Permanent neuro-sensory deficit of the inferior alveolar nerve was 16%. Younger...