Extracorporealization of the Mandibular Condyle: Effects on Viability and Function.

Study Design: For certain condylar fractures, extracorporealization of the condylar segment may be performed via extra-oral vertical ramus osteotomy (EVRO) to facilitate reduction and fixation. This approach can similarly be used for condyle-sparing resection of osteochondromas of the condyle. Due to controversy regarding long-term health of the condyle after extracorporealization, we conducted a retrospective analysis of surgical outcomes.

Case Report: Safety and Efficacy of Denosumab in Four Children With Noonan Syndrome With Multiple Giant Cell Lesions of the Jaw.

Noonan syndrome is a genetic disorder caused by mutations in the RAS/MAPK pathway. Multiple giant cell lesions are a rare sequelae of disruptions in this pathway, termed Noonan-like multiple giant cell lesions (NL/MGCLs). Medical management of these tumors rather than surgical intervention is preferential as the lesions are benign but locally destructive and recurring.

A randomized prospective comparison of maxillomandibular fixation (MMF) techniques: "SMARTLock" hybrid MMF versus MMF screws.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of the "SMARTLock" hybrid system and determine whether it results in fewer intraoperative and postoperative complications compared with placement of intermaxillary fixation (IMF) screws in trauma patients.

Study Design: This prospective study, which was approved by the institutional review board, compared the results of MMF in mandibular fractures by using the Stryker "SMARTLock" hybrid system versus traditional IMF screws. Patients were recruited and assigned randomly to either group.

Self-Retained Voice Prosthesis in the Decompression of the Odontogenic Keratocyst: A Technical Note.

Decompression of the odontogenic keratocyst has been a long-standing treatment modality in the armamentarium of oral-maxillofacial surgeons. Many different types of effective decompression tubes have been described in the literature. They reduce the size of the cystic lesion by decreasing the intraluminal pressure, induce histologic structural changes in the epithelial lining of the cyst, and allow for bone deposition to occur from the periphery of the cystic cavity.

3D printed HUVECs/MSCs cocultures impact cellular interactions and angiogenesis depending on cell-cell distance.

Vascularization is a crucial process during the growth and development of bone , yet it remains one of the main challenges in the reconstruction of large bone defects. The use of in vitro coculture of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) has been one of the most explored options. Both cell types secrete specific growth factors that are mutually beneficial, and studies suggested that cell-cell communication and paracrine secretion could be affected by a number of factors.

Melanotic Neuroectodermal Tumor of Infancy: Case Report and Review of Management.

Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy (MNTI) is a rare pigmented tumor of the head and neck, which most commonly presents during the first year of life. Most cases present in the bones of the craniofacial region, including the maxilla (60.3%), skull (18.

Juvenile Trabecular Ossifying Fibroma.

Benign fibro-osseous lesions within the maxillofacial region represent a heterogeneous group of benign entities with overlapping histologic features. Ossifying fibroma, the rarest of these entities, represents a true neoplasm. Juvenile ossifying fibroma (JOF) is considered an aggressive rapidly growing sub-type.

Imaging stem cell distribution, growth, migration, and differentiation in 3-D scaffolds for bone tissue engineering using mesoscopic fluorescence tomography.

Regenerative medicine has emerged as an important discipline that aims to repair injury or replace damaged tissues or organs by introducing living cells or functioning tissues. Successful regenerative medicine strategies will likely depend upon a simultaneous optimization strategy for the design of biomaterials, cell-seeding methods, cell-biomaterial interactions, and molecular signaling within the engineered tissues. It remains a challenge to image three-dimensional (3-D) structures and functions of the cell-seeded scaffold in mesoscopic scale (>2 ∼ 3 mm).

Rescue of Premature Coronal Suture Fusion with TGF-β2 Neutralizing Antibody in Rabbits with Delayed-Onset Synostosis.

Objectives: An overexpression of Tgf-β2 leads to calvarial hyperostosis and suture fusion in individuals with craniosynostosis. Inhibition of Tgf-β2 may help rescue fusing sutures and restore normal growth. The present study was designed to test this hypothesis.

Cystic Lesions of the Jaw in Children: A 15-Year Experience.

Importance: Pediatric jaw cysts represent a rarely symptomatic clinical entity and are not well addressed in the otolaryngology literature. It is important that otolaryngologists should be familiar with these lesions, which can manifest as jaw swelling or as paranasal sinus abnormalities.

Objective: To review the clinical presentation, radiologic features, management, and outcomes of jaw cysts in children treated at a single academic institution.

Tumors of the pediatric maxillofacial skeleton: a 20-year clinical study.

Importance: Pediatric jaw tumors are a rare clinical entity and are not well addressed in the otolaryngology literature. It is important that otolaryngologists be familiar with the clinical features, management, and outcomes associated with these lesions.

Objective: To review the clinical presentation, management, and outcomes of jaw tumors in children treated at a tertiary care academic center.

Venous anastomoses using microvascular coupler in free flap head and neck reconstruction.

Purpose: This study is a retrospective review of the experience using the venous coupler for head and neck reconstruction over a 3-year period at the University of Maryland Medical Center, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.

Materials And Methods: One hundred seventy-eight consecutive cases of microvascular free flaps between May 2007 and September 2010 were retrospectively reviewed. Data were collected by demographic information, flap type, recipient vessels, method of anastomosis, coupler size, coupler orientation, complications associated with coupler, and reconstruction results.

Blocking bone morphogenetic protein function using in vivo noggin therapy does not rescue premature suture fusion in rabbits with delayed-onset craniosynostosis.

Background: Craniosynostosis is defined as the premature fusion of one or more cranial sutures. Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), regulators of ossification, have been implicated in premature suture fusion. Noggin, an extracellular BMP inhibitor, has been shown experimentally to inhibit resynostosis following surgery.

Reoperative midface trauma.

Reoperative midface surgery can be challenging. Although well-established surgical principles are still the basis of surgical approaches and techniques, the advent of new materials and technologies brings about opportunities to achieve the best possible outcomes with bony reconstruction and more precise results. Soft tissue deformities continue to be some of the most challenging, especially as they relate to the orbit, but continually evolving techniques offer improved results for volume corrections to treat enophthalmos and diplopia.

Challenges associated with regeneration of orbital floor bone.

Orbital floor fractures are a serious consequence of craniofacial trauma and account for ∼60%-70% of all orbital fractures. Unfortunately, the body's natural response to orbital floor defects generally may not restore proper function and facial aesthetics, which is complicated by the thin bone and adjacent sinuses. Current clinical treatments include alloplastic implants and autologous grafts; however, each has associated disadvantages and sequelae.

Macroporous hydrogels upregulate osteogenic signal expression and promote bone regeneration.

The objective of this work was to investigate the effects of macroporous hydrogel architecture on the osteogenic signal expression and differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). In particular, we have proposed a tissue engineering approach for orbital bone repair based on a cyclic acetal biomaterial formed from 5-ethyl-5-(hydroxymethyl)-beta,beta-dimethyl-1,3-dioxane-2-ethanol diacrylate (EHD) and poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA). The EHD monomer and PEGDA polymer may be fabricated into macroporous EH-PEG hydrogels by radical polymerization and subsequent porogen leaching, a novel technique for hydrophilic gels.

Characterization of cyclic acetal hydroxyapatite nanocomposites for craniofacial tissue engineering.

Cyclic acetal hydrogels are a novel group of biomaterials which may facilitate osteogenic differentiation of encapsulated bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) because of their neutral degradation products. Here, we have incorporated hydroxyapatite nanoparticles within cyclic acetal hydrogels to create cyclic acetal nanocomposites for craniofacial tissue engineering applications. We hypothesized that inclusion of nanosized hydroxyapatite particles within cyclic acetal hydrogels would upregulate osteogenic signal expression of encapsulated BMSCs, due to enhanced cell adhesion, and therefore promote osteodifferentiation.

Cyclic acetal hydroxyapatite nanocomposites for orbital bone regeneration.

We have incorporated hydroxyapatite nanoparticles within cyclic acetal hydrogels to create nanocomposites that can be used to repair surgically created orbital floor defects in a rabbit animal model. Nanosized hydroxyapatite particles may improve tissue engineering scaffold properties because they have similar length scale of many cellular and molecular components and therefore can enhance cellular adhesion and migration. We hypothesize that inclusion of nanosized hydroxyapatite particles (20-70 nm) within cyclic acetal hydrogels would support bone defect repair.

Strength analysis of 6 resorbable implant systems: does heating affect the stress-strain curve?

Purpose: The objective was to directly compare the strength of 6 different resorbable implant plating systems using an in vitro model before and after heating.

Materials And Methods: Red oak wood was cut and fixated using various resorbable plates and screws. Vertical load was applied and the specimens fractured, while a test machine gathered data.

Tissue response and orbital floor regeneration using cyclic acetal hydrogels.

Orbital floor injuries are a common form of traumatic craniofacial injury that may not heal properly through the body's endogenous response. Reconstruction is often necessary, and an optimal method does not exist. We propose a tissue engineering approach for orbital bone repair based upon a cyclic acetal biomaterial formed from 5-ethyl-5-(hydroxymethyl)-beta,beta-dimethyl-1,3-dioxane-2-ethanol diacrylate (EHD) and poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA).