Patients with oral tumors. Part 1: Prosthetic rehabilitation following tumor resection.

The present study reports on the surgical and prosthodontic rehabilitation of 46 patients, 31 male and 15 female, after resection of oral tumors. The treatment was carried out from 2004 to 2007 at the Department of Prosthodontics, University of Bern, with a follow-up time of 3 to 6 years. The average age at diagnosis was 54 years.

Outcome and patterns of failure after postoperative intensity modulated radiotherapy for locally advanced or high-risk oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: To determine the outcome and patterns of failure in oral cavity cancer (OCC) patients after postoperative intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) with concomitant systemic therapy.

Methods: All patients with locally advanced (AJCC stage III/IV) or high-risk OCC (AJCC stage II) who underwent postoperative IMRT at our institution between December 2006 and July 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. The primary endpoint was locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRRFS).

Microsurgical reconstruction of the head and neck--current practice of maxillofacial units in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

Refinement in microvascular reconstructive techniques over the last 30 years has enabled an increasing number of patients to be rehabilitated for both functional and aesthetic reasons. The purpose of this study was to evaluate different microsurgical practice, including perioperative management, in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The DÖSAK collaborative group for Microsurgical Reconstruction developed a detailed questionnaire which was circulated to units in the three countries.

Prediction of dental implant torque with a fast and automatic finite element analysis: a pilot study.

Objectives: Despite its importance, implant removal torque can be assessed at present only after implantation. This paper presents a new technique to help clinicians preoperatively evaluate implant stability.

Study Design: Planning software has been combined with an in-house finite element solver.

Quantifying the influence of bone density and thickness on resonance frequency analysis: an in vitro study of biomechanical test materials.

Purpose: Resonance frequency analysis (RFA) offers the opportunity to monitor the osseointegration of an implant in a simple, noninvasive way. A better comprehension of the relationship between RFA and parameters related to bone quality would therefore help clinicians improve diagnoses. In this study, a bone analog made from polyurethane foam was used to isolate the influences of bone density and cortical thickness in RFA.

Policy of routine titanium miniplate removal after maxillofacial trauma.

Purpose: The literature shows that hardware removal rates after the fixation of maxillofacial fractures with miniplates are not insignificant. The aim of the present survey was to clarify the policies of Finnish oral and maxillofacial consultants for the removal of titanium miniplates after the treatment of facial fractures in adults. Additional aims were to clarify the factors influencing plate removal policy in general, and the reasons for routine plate removal in particular.

Fibula free flap reconstruction of the mandible in cancer patients: evaluation of a combined surgical and prosthodontic treatment concept.

The final goal of mandibular reconstruction following ablative surgery for oral cancer is often considered to be dental implant-supported oral rehabilitation, for which bone grafts should ideally be placed in a suitable position taking subsequent prosthetic restoration into account. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a standardized treatment strategy for mandibular reconstruction according to the size of the bony defect and planned subsequent dental prosthetic rehabilitation. Data of 56 patients, who had undergone such a systematic mandibular fibula free flap reconstruction, were retrospectively analyzed.

A new system for computer-aided preoperative planning and intraoperative navigation during corrective jaw surgery.

A new system for computer-aided corrective surgery of the jaws has been developed and introduced clinically. It combines three-dimensional (3-D) surgical planning with conventional dental occlusion planning. The developed software allows simulating the surgical correction on virtual 3-D models of the facial skeleton generated from computed tomography (CT) scans.

Automatic extraction of the mid-facial plane for cranio-maxillofacial surgery planning.

Recently developed computer applications provide tools for planning cranio-maxillofacial interventions based on 3-dimensional (3D) virtual models of the patient's skull obtained from computed-tomography (CT) scans. Precise knowledge of the location of the mid-facial plane is important for the assessment of deformities and for planning reconstructive procedures. In this work, a new method is presented to automatically compute the mid-facial plane on the basis of a surface model of the facial skeleton obtained from CT.

Bi-directional distraction osteogenesis of the alveolar bone using an extraosseous device.

Objectives: In alveolar distraction, the bone segment tends to incline palatally or lingually, making rigid control of the segments difficult. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of a newly developed bi-directional extraosseous alveolar distractor (Medartis V2-Alveolar distractor) for pre- and perioperative vector management.

Material And Methods: Seven patients with segmental alveolar atrophy following traumatic tooth loss were treated using the distraction device.

A novel computational method for real-time preoperative assessment of primary dental implant stability.

A novel methodology which allows for fast and fully automatic structural analysis during preoperative planning for dental implant surgery is presented. This method integrates a fully automatic fast finite element solver within the framework of new concepts in computer-assisted preoperative planning for implant surgery. The planning system including optimized structural planning was validated by experimental results.

Extensive augmentation of the alveolar ridge using autogenous calvarial split bone grafts for dental rehabilitation.

Free autogenous iliac bone is the most commonly used graft material for an extensive alveolar ridge reconstruction. The application of iliac bone, however, is associated with problems, such as transplant loss resulting from postoperative infection and late bone resorption. A bone-graft material more suitable than iliac bone is therefore still needed.

[Clinical jargon--memorabilia].

As in all professions, there has always been a clinical jargon. The bustle and anonymity of a large hospital complex are bound to affect the mentality of those who work there and the way they see themselves; the result, reflected in the jargon, is not always advantageous.

[Style in ophthalmological literature and correspondence (author's transl)].

In ophthalmological literature and correspondence there is sometimes evidence of a tendency toward careless, imprecise formulation. The aim of the following is to call attention to this fact; examples are given.

Significance of pleural and sputum concentrations for antibiotic therapy of bronchopulmonary infections.

Tests were done with various antibiotics (ampicillin, carbenicillin, cefazolin, cefotaxime, cephradine, ticarcillin) in order to determine the significance of sputum and pleural concentrations for adequate therapy of bronchopulmonary infections. In a total of 19 chronic bronchitis patients, it was found that the attainable sputum concentrations were rather low and that individual fluctuations were great. No clear connection was evident between dosage and concentration of antibiotics in the sputum.

[On the treatment of Terrien's marginal dystrophy (author's transl)].

Many techniques have been described for the treatment of Terrien's marginal dystrophy, which are intended to reduce the astigmatism, reduce complications and prevent a progression of the disease. Described here is a technique for performing a lamellar keratoplasty without rupturing the very thin recipient cornea while preparing the graft bed.

[Results of lamellar keratoplasty for recurring pterygium (author's transl)].

Although difficult, recurrent forms of pterygium are seldom seen in central Europe, they cause considerable therapeutic problems because they cannot be cured by simple dissection and conjunctivoplasty. A useful method of treatment in these cases is the marginal, lamellar keratoplasty, which, according to the type of involvement, can take the shape of a sector, ring, horseshoe, or semicircle. If the pterygium is extensive and affects the center of the cornea, a subtotal, lamellar keratoplasty can be performed.

[Genetic aspects of keratoconus (author's transl)].

The diverging views expressed in the literature on the inheritance of keratoconus gave us cause to examine the genetic relationships in 304 cases of keratoconus from our own clinic material. In the 22 cases (19 families) where two or more family members were affected, the genetic relationships generally indicated a multifactorial mode of inheritance, although isolated dominant or recessive variants could not be excluded. The assumption of a multifactorial inheritance is further supported by the occurrence of keratoconus in connection with various syndromes, as well as the fact that keratoconus does not only express itself in sharply defined stages, but also occurs in all possible degrees, from almost normal to the extreme.

[Accidents and lethality in ocular surgery (author's transl)].

The mortality and morbidity rates in eye surgery are low as compared to other surgical specialities. The lethality rate is not, however, as low as one might suppose if one follows the fate of patients which require postoperative transfer into other (non ophthalmologic) clinics. The morbidity rate differs markedly, depending on whether a local or general anesthetic is used.

[On secondary endoepithelial dystrophy of the cornea due to non-magnetic anterior chamber foreign body (author's transl)].

Secondary endoepithelial dystrophy of the cornea can be uncharacteristic and lead to misdiagnoses. A foreign body in the anterior chamber producing an endothelial dystrophy is often recognized late, or not at all. Clearing the cornea with glycerin facilitates the gonioscopic examination.