Current concepts in cleft care: A multicenter analysis.

The current surgical techniques used in cleft repair are well established, but different centers use different approaches. To determine the best treatment for patients, a multi-center comparative study is required. In this study, we surveyed all craniofacial departments registered with the German Society of Maxillofacial Surgery to determine which cleft repair techniques are currently in use.

Influence of lip closure on alveolar cleft width in patients with cleft lip and palate.

Background: The influence of surgery on growth and stability after treatment in patients with cleft lip and palate are topics still under discussion. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of early lip closure on the width of the alveolar cleft using dental casts.

Methods: A total of 44 clefts were investigated using plaster casts, 30 unilateral and 7 bilateral clefts.

Primary osteoplasty using calvarian bone in patients with cleft lip, alveolus and palate.

Purpose: The results of primary bone grafting in terms of initial cleft width, existence or absence of a lateral incisor and scar formation in the donor area are compared.

Methods: After primary osteoplasty with calvarian bone at an average age of 24 months (4-56 months) radiographic assessment was carried out in 31 patients with 40 alveolar clefts. The bone formation in the grafted area was assessed using dental radiographs taken at 66 months on average (13-114 months) after primary bone grafting.

Conditioning of myocutaneous flaps.

Purpose: The improvement of the ischaemic tolerance of myocutaneous flaps is of clinical importance and hence the subject of numerous investigations.

Methods: In an attempt to increase the ischaemic tolerance, 20 myocutaneous flaps (rectus abdominis muscle) in pigs were elevated and perfused with various, established solutions prior to the onset of ischaemia. The flaps were elevated, utilizing the superior epigastric vessels as the pedicle.

Survived crossbow injuries.

The Hamburg University Institute of Legal Medicine presents 2 cases of injuries of crossbow arrows where the patients survived. Crossbows are used nowadays as sports and hunting weapons. They are freely obtainable, and since people without practice can shoot them, there are constant injuries and fatal cases.

Automated in situ detection (AISD) of biomolecules.

 In order to facilitate in situ detection of biomolecules in large sample series the processing of whole-mount specimens has been automated. A freely programmable liquid handling system is described by which embryos or similar biological materials are processed. Possible applications include in situ hybridization (ISH), immunocytochemistry (ICC) or reporter gene assays.