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Temporary tracheostomies are not always necessary for head and neck free flap reconstruction

Complex head and neck cancer cases with reconstruction can be challenging due to the risk of loss of airway. Temporary tracheostomies are often used to protect the airway following complex oral and maxillofacial ablative surgery and reconstruction. However, while this...

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...

Carnoy’s and the KOT

This is a retrospective review of 105 patients with keratocystic odontogenic tumours treated over a 23-year period with a mean follow-up of 86 months. The recurrence rate was 11.4%. Permanent neuro-sensory deficit of the inferior alveolar nerve was 16%. Younger...

Tissue engineered flaps

This article provides a thorough summary of the current techniques available in head and neck reconstruction. It details the challenge of restoration of form and function posed by the shape of the craniofacial skeleton and soft tissue. The introduction on...

Tranexamic acid and blood loss in bimaxillary surgery

This is a randomised, double blind, placebo-controlled trial from Thailand to clarify the most effective dose of Tranexamic acid in reducing blood loss during a bimaxillary osteotomy. They confirmed that the dose of 10mg per kg is the most efficacious...

Infection in prosthetic temporomandibular joints

This is an overview from an internationally recognised temporomandibular joint (TMJ) surgeon. It is a comprehensive article highlighting that incidence is likely to be underestimated and prevention the main objective. Not surprisingly a lot of the conclusions are based on...

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...

Treatment of vertical alar discrepancy

This article explains the way to treat vertical alar discrepancy through alar crease and alar sulcus full-thickness incisions and advancement-rotation of the alar flaps. The authors divide the group of patients into three main categories depending on the vertical movement...

Lymph node ratio – another predictor of outcomes in tongue SCC

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is an increasing disease with over 263,000 diagnosed new cases and 128,000 deaths annually worldwide. Although there have been significant advances in diagnostics, surgery and anaesthetics there has been no increase in the survival rates...

Is it time for cone-beam CTs to replace the traditional orthopantomogram in the primary diagnosis of temporomandibular joint disorders?

Cone-beam computed tomographic (CT) requires a lower dose of radiation compared to the multidetector CT and provides much more detailed information in 3D about the bony structures of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) when compared to the traditional OPG. In this...

Which patients are more likely to have postoperative pulmonary complications after major head and neck?

Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPC) following major head and neck surgery are frequently encountered. Indeed, surgery in the head and neck area itself has been identified as a risk factor for these complications. Microvascular reconstruction is a widely accepted and proven...