A Large Calvarial Bone Defect in a Child: Osseointegration of an Implant.

Background: This original report describes the outcome of a cranioplasty at long-term follow-up. A large calvarial bone defect of a child was reconstructed with a bioactive and biostable nonmetallic implant.

Case Description: In a child with infantile fibrosarcoma of occipital bone, the malignancy was removed at 2.

Cranioplasty After Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: Effects of Trauma and Patient Recovery on Cranioplasty Outcome.

Background: In patients with severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) treated with decompressive craniectomy (DC), factors affecting the success of later cranioplasty are poorly known.

Objective: We sought to investigate if injury- and treatment-related factors, and state of recovery could predict the risk of major complications in cranioplasty requiring implant removal, and how these complications affect the outcome.

Methods: A retrospective cohort of 40 patients with DC following sTBI and subsequent cranioplasty was studied.

A glass fiber-reinforced composite - bioactive glass cranioplasty implant: A case study of an early development stage implant removed due to a late infection.

This case study describes the properties of an early development stage bioactive glass containing fiber-reinforced composite calvarial implant with histology that has been in function for two years and three months. The patient is a 33-year old woman with a history of substance abuse, who sustained a severe traumatic brain injury later unsuccessfully treated with an autologous bone flap and a custom-made porous polyethylene implant. She was thereafter treated with developmental stage glass fiber-reinforced composite - bioactive glass implant.

Outcomes of cranioplasty with synthetic materials and autologous bone grafts.

Objective: Using current surgical methods, cranioplasty is associated with a high complication rate. We analyzed if there are preexisting medical conditions associated with complications and compared the effect of different implant materials on the degree of complications.

Methods: A retrospective review of the medical records of all patients who underwent cranioplasty for cranial bone defects during the period 2002-2012 was conducted, and 100 consecutive cranioplasty procedures that met eligibility criteria were identified.

Paediatric cranial defect reconstruction using bioactive fibre-reinforced composite implant: early outcomes.

Background: In children, approximately half of cryopreserved allograft bone flaps fail due to infection and resorption. Synthetic materials offer a solution for allograft bone flap resorption. Fibre-reinforced composite with a bioactive glass particulate filling is a new synthetic material for bone reconstruction.

Craniofacial bone reconstruction with bioactive fiber-reinforced composite implant.

Background: A novel, bioactive, fiber-reinforced composite implant is a solution to address the shortcomings in craniofacial bone reconstruction. A longitudinal clinical investigation with a follow-up time of 4 years was conducted.

Methods: A cranial bone reconstruction with the implant was performed on 12 patients.

Bioactive glass S53P4 in mastoid obliteration surgery for chronic otitis media and cerebrospinal fluid leakage.

Objectives: We evaluated the results of cases of chronic otitis media treated with mastoid obliteration surgery using bioactive glass S53P4.

Methods: Twenty-five patients with chronic otitis media and 1 patient with cerebrospinal fluid leakage without chronic infection were treated with bioactive glass S53P4. Twenty patients had had previous surgery because of chronic otitis media with or without cholesteatoma.

Post-traumatic morbidity is frequent in children with frontobasilar fractures.

Objective: Frontobasilar fractures are potentially life-threatening injuries also in pediatric populations, often due to associated intracranial trauma. This retrospective study was performed at a tertiary care university hospital to evaluate the management and outcome of pediatric frontobasilar fractures. The secondary aim was to re-evaluate the computerized tomography images to reveal all the skull base fracture sites predicting morbidity.

[Head and neck reconstructions].

Tissue reconstructions of the head and neck are required both in the repair of tissue defects following the surgical excision of malignant tumors and in the treatment of various other facial deformities. While it is usually possible to repair a damaged tissue or organ region, functional restoration is very difficult. The aim is radical excision of the tumor, and successful reconstruction will provide quality of life for the patient even after an extensive surgical procedure.

Mandibular reconstruction using free bone flap after preoperative chemoradiation.

When treating head and neck cancer of an advanced stage, additional therapy modalities are often combined with surgery. This sets new challenges for the reconstructive surgery, especially after segmental mandibulectomy. There is continuous discussion considering the optimal timing of the surgery with relation to other treatment methods such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

Novel composite implant in craniofacial bone reconstruction.

Bioactive glass (BAG) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) have been used in clinical applications. Antimicrobial BAG has the ability to attach chemically to surrounding bone, but it is not possible to bend, drill or shape BAG during the operation. PMMA has advantages in terms of shaping during the operation, but it does not attach chemically to the bone and is an exothermic material.

A national series of 244 sinonasal cancers in Finland in 1990-2004.

Sinonasal cancer is still a somewhat controversial entity because most series are single-center studies. The aim of this study was to give more accurate and generalisable information about treatment of the neck and prognosis of sinonasal cancer. Retrospective, population-based, multicentre study.

Blood pressure and free flap oxygenation in head and neck cancer patients.

Conclusion: This study suggests that although oxygen partial pressure in tissue (p(ti)O(2)) measurement is a feasible method for continuous postoperative monitoring of free flaps, low correlation between blood pressure (BP) and p(ti)O(2) might predict compromised overall outcome. Thus, it is of utmost importance to keep the BP optimal for adequate perfusion of re-anastomosed tissue transfers.

Objective: Optimal BP is an important factor in assuring adequate blood flow in a free flap.

Perfusion in free breast reconstruction flap zones assessed with positron emission tomography.

The aim of this pilot study was to determine the postoperative blood perfusion (BF(PET)) and perfusion heterogeneity (BF(PET) HG) in free microvascular breast reconstruction flap zones with positron emission tomography (PET). Regional BF(PET) and BF(PET) HG of the adipose tissue in medial, central, and lateral parts of 13 free flaps were assessed on the first postoperative morning with PET using oxygen-15-labeled water ([(15)O]H(2)O) in 12 patients undergoing breast reconstruction with a deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) or a transverse rectus abdominis muscle (TRAM) flap. The mean BF(PET) values did not differ between DIEP and TRAM flaps (P = 0.

Survey of current functional outcomes assessment practices in patients with head and neck cancer: initial project of the head and neck research network.

Background: Functional outcomes assessment has become increasingly important in informing treatment decisions in the area of head and neck cancer. However, consistency of assessment methods across studies has been lacking. For the literature to inform clinical decision making, consensus regarding outcomes measurements is necessary.

Management and outcome of pediatric skull base fractures.

Objective: The management of skull base fractures in the pediatric age group continues to be a major challenge even for experienced multidisciplinary teams. This retrospective study was undertaken at a tertiary care academic hospital to evaluate the management and outcome of pediatric skull base fractures.

Methods: Retrospective analysis covering a period of 13.

The use of pedicled temporal musculoperiosteal flap with or without free calvarial bone graft in maxillary reconstructions.

Various techniques have been used to repair maxillary defects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the suitability of pedicled temporal musculoperiosteal flap (PTMF) and free calvarial bone graft for the reconstruction of maxillary defects. In this retrospective series, 34 patients operated on from 1995 to 2006 at Turku University Central Hospital because of defects of maxilla reconstructed using PTMF with or without free calvarial bone graft were evaluated.

The limitations of tissue-oxygen measurement and positron emission tomography as additional methods for postoperative breast reconstruction free-flap monitoring.

Twelve patients who underwent breast reconstruction with a microvascular flap were monitored postoperatively with continuous partial tissue oxygenation (p(ti)O(2)) measurement. The regional blood flow (BF) of the entire flap was evaluated with positron emission tomography (PET) using oxygen-15-labelled water on the first postoperative (POP) morning to achieve data of the perfusion of the entire flap. A re-exploration was carried out if the p(ti)O(2) value remained lower than 15 mmHg for over 30 min.

Reconstruction of orbital wall defects with bioactive glass plates.

Purpose: Synthetic bioactive glass (BAG) is used in many surgical applications. Special bioactive glasses do not favor microbial growth. This study evaluated the clinical outcome of bioactive glass plates in reconstructive orbital surgery.

Monitoring microvascular free flaps with tissue oxygen measurement and PET.

Tissue oxygen measurement and positron emission tomography (PET) were evaluated as methods for predicting ischemia in microvascular free flaps of the head and neck. Ten patients with head and neck squamous cell cancer underwent resection of the tumour followed by microvascular reconstruction with a free flap. Tissue oxygenation of the flap (P(ti)O(2)) was continuously monitored for three postoperative (POP) days and the blood flow of the flap was assessed using oxygen-15 labelled water and PET.

Bioactive glass hydroxyapatite in fronto-orbital defect reconstruction.

Background: Synthetic bioactive ceramics and glasses have osteoconductive properties. These materials are capable of chemically bonding to the bone tissue. In addition, special bioactive glasses do not favor microbial growth.

A review of 59 consecutive patients with lesions of the anterior cranial base operated on using the subcranial approach.

Introduction: Lesions of the anterior cranial fossa are still a challenge for the surgeon. Since Joram Raveh introduced the concept of a subcranial approach in 1978 it has been used in the treatment of lesions extending into the anterior cranial fossa. Our experience with the subcranial approach during the past 8 years at Turku University Central Hospital is described.

Bioactive glass S53P4 in frontal sinus obliteration: a long-term clinical experience.

Background: Synthetic, osteoconductive, and antimicrobial bioactive glass (BAG) has been used in many surgical applications.

Methods: BAG was used as obliteration material in a series of osteoplastic frontal sinus operations on 42 patients suffering from chronic frontal sinusitis, which could not be cured with other means of treatment.

Results: Accurate obliteration of sinuses was achieved in 39 patients.

Functional evaluation of microvascular free flaps with positron emission tomography.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess blood flow (BF) of microvascular free flaps studied with positron emission tomography (PET) in patients with head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) undergoing major radical surgery 3-4 weeks after high-dose radiotherapy.

Methods: Five patients underwent resection of the HNSCC of the oral cavity followed by microvascular reconstruction with a radial forearm flap. Regional BF in oral and neck tissues was measured with PET using radiolabelled water ([15O]H2O) twice (1-2 and 12-14 days, respectively) following radical surgery.