Secondary skull reconstruction with autogenous split calvarial bone grafts versus nonautogenous materials.

Background: Skull reconstructions, which can be required for various reasons, including decompressive craniectomy, trauma, and tumors, are challenging issues in plastic surgery. Moreover, obtaining a low complication ratio in secondary skull reconstructions is more difficult than in primary skull reconstructions. Because standardized protocols have not been established, we here compare cranioplasty performance using fresh autogenous split calvarial bone grafts and allogenic or alloplastic materials in secondary revisional cases.

The superficial fascia as a new plane of elevation for anterolateral thigh flaps.

The elevation plane for the anterolateral thigh perforator flap is either subfascial or suprafascial approach. But extensive debulking is frequently performed with possibilities of endangering viability. We hypothesized that by elevating the flap in the layer between the deep and the superficial fat, the superficial fascia, we will be able to achieve elevation of a thin and hemodynamically reliable flap without wasting human tissue.

Clinical application of human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells in progressive hemifacial atrophy (Parry-Romberg disease) with microfat grafting techniques using 3-dimensional computed tomography and 3-dimensional camera.

Background: Parry-Romberg disease is a rare condition that results in progressive hemifacial atrophy, involving the skin, dermis, subcutaneous fat, muscle, and, finally, cartilage and bone. Patients have been treated with dermofat or fat grafts or by microvascular free flap transfer. We hypothesized that adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) may improve the results of microfat grafting through enhancing angiogenesis.

Use of distraction osteogenesis to change endocranial morphology in unilateral coronal craniosynostosis patients.

Background: The endocranial morphology of the skull base is an important factor in determining craniofacial asymmetry. Moreover, although the patency of cranial suture would be the first determining factor, unicoronal, unilambdoid synostosis and deformational plagiocephaly can also be differentiated by means of axis angulation of anterior and posterior cranial fossa. These findings indicate the importance of endocranial morphology in craniofacial asymmetry.