Journal Reviews
Locked or unlocked
This is as systematic review and meta-analysis from the Netherlands, evaluating postoperative complications of mandibular fractures using locking and non-locking systems. It is suggested that postoperative complications of surgical treatment of mandibular fractures occur in 20-26% of patients, and it...
Cycle helmets protective against facial injuries?
This is a meta-analysis completed by a maxillofacial unit on the South Coast of England. Nine studies from an initial literature review of 102 were included in the analysis. Cycling has been reported as the cause of 3-20% of facial...
Modified subciliary approach to the orbital floor
Fractures involving the lateral midface and orbital floor are routinely treated by maxillofacial surgeons. The surgical management requires access to the facial skeleton to reposition and free the soft tissues. There are three main approaches to the orbital floor the...
When to treat a fractured mandible?
This is a prospective study from Brisbane of 215 patients with a total of 359 fractures of the mandible. Nine outcome variables were analysed with a further 19 included to adjust for potential confounding. Treatment delay was found not to...
Approach to the orbital floor, which is better?
During skeletal surgery sufficient exposure is key, often a direct approach through the overlying tissues is the easiest route. In the face, however, as the scar would be readily visible so approaches are designed to hide this. Surgical access to...
Inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) recovery after ORIF fractured mandible
Mandibular fractures are quite common facial injuries, but aetiology varies with country and age. Common treatment options are open reduction and internal fixation via an intra oral or extra oral incision. Nerve injury or dysfunction is often seen preoperatively and...
Is it possible to fix condylar neck fractures with one plate?
Fractures of the condylar neck are fairly common and account for over 25% of all mandible fractures. Over the years a number of modalities have been used to fix these fractures. Direct reduction is complicated by the overlying proximity of...
Bad splits
This is a meta-analysis of reported risk factors of a ‘bad split’ in a sagittal split mandibular osteotomy. They identified 30 observational articles and therefore acknowledged it is based on low quality studies. It is compounded by the definition of...
Classification and assessment of midfacial fractures: no more Le Fort facial fractures
There is some evidence that severe or complex midfacial or orbital fractures have declined over the last decade. Interestingly there is also evidence of an increase in road traffic accidents but a decrease in facial injuries. This is possibly attributed...
Facial nerve injuries in fixing mandibular condylar fractures
The commonest fracture of the mandible is reported in the region of the condyle. Untreated this can lead to shortening of the ramus, facial asymmetry, arthrosis of the temporomandibular joint, impaired mastication and speech. The standard treatment is open reduction...
Condylar fractures – current thinking
The author presents a review of 133 papers, most of which are recent and some of which are historic. The topic examined is that of condylar fractures including condylar neck and coronoid process. This topic has always been controversial and...
