Using the iliac crest free flap.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to C Vickery.
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The radial forearm free flap has achieved considerable popularity as a reconstructive technique due to its thin, pliable tissue and long vascular pedicle. The successful use of this flap as a carrier of a vascularized nerve to bridge motor nerve gaps and as a sensate flap has not been previously reported in head and neck reconstruction. The superficial branch of the radial nerve was used as a vascularized nerve graft to bridge a facial nerve defect following radical parotidectomy. The medial and lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerves were used to re-establish sensation in a reconstructed pharyngeal mucosal defect. The published clinical and experimental studies on vascularized nerves and sensate flaps are reviewed in detail.
Microvascular free tissue transfer techniques using composite flaps are the most reliable method for the combined bone and soft-tissue reconstitution of oromandibular defects. Functional oromandibular reconstruction requires that maximum tongue mobility be achieved along with dental prosthetic rehabilitation. The internal oblique-iliac crest osseomyocutaneous microvascular free flap was used in 20 patients for oromandibular reconstruction. The internal oblique muscle, based on the ascending branches of the deep circumflex iliac artery and vein, was used to resurface mucosal defects of the oral cavity and pharynx. The iliac bone, because of its length, width, and natural contour, is the best source of vascularized bone for mandibular reconstruction. The improved soft-tissue component of this composite flap markedly improved the functional results. Reconstruction failed in one patient. Eleven patients underwent dental rehabilitation with either a tissue-borne or osseointegrated implant-borne denture. Follow-up of longer than one year showed minimal donor site morbidity.
Traditionally, the most important parameters for success in free tissue transfer have been expertise in performing small vessel anastomoses, meticulous donor site dissection, and careful recipient vessel preparation. It has been our experience, in free flap transfers for head and neck reconstruction, that a very crucial, often unrecognized, parameter is the geometry of the vascular pedicle. This term encompasses the three-dimensional positioning of the nutrient vascular pedicle as well as vessel tension and redundancy. The ideal axis for the lie of the vascular pedicle in the neck is in the longitudinal direction. This configuration helps to eliminate the kinking of the pedicle that is observed with side-to-side movements of the head. The primary objectives in recipient vessel selection are to use a healthy artery and vein and to perform the anastomoses in a location that provides easy access for the surgeon and assistant. Recipient vessel selection is also a major determining factor in the achievement of the desired pedicle geometry. We believe that the transverse cervical artery and the external jugular vein are the best recipient vessels for free tissue transfer. The reasons for this selection, as well as technical details to improve pedicle geometry, are discussed in depth. Representative cases that demonstrate pitfalls in vascular pedicle geometry are presented.
Postoperative monitoring of the perfusion of a free flap used in head and neck reconstruction is vitally important in achieving a favorable outcome. There are a wide range of methods that have been advocated to assist in this surveillance. However, at this time, there is no one technique that is universally efficacious in detecting early arterial and venous occlusion. In our experience, the most reliable means of monitoring has been the clinical assessment of flap color, capillary refill, tissue turgor, and bleeding. To assess these parameters, a portion of the flap must be accessible for observation. When the defect is buried, as is often the case in head and neck reconstruction, flap design is critical to achieve a reliable external segment for monitoring. The methods for exteriorizing a well-vascularized portion of tissue in the most commonly used flaps are described.
For the patient with oral cancer who has undergone quadrant resection, mandibular reconstruction provides normalization of the lower facial contour, regained architectural support, and reestablishment of occlusal relationships. Reconstruction with vascularized bone offers the most rapid rehabilitation. Replacement of dentition provides improved deglutition, mastication, and speech. In eligible patients the use of osteointegrated implants can provide rigid stabilization for dental prostheses. In previous studies these implants were placed in a secondary procedure. In the present study microvascular mandibular reconstruction was combined with primary placement of osteointegrated implants in the treatment of seven patients. Preliminary results indicate that the combination of procedures can provide more rapid and effective rehabilitation for the patient with cancer. Issues for further study are also identified.
The iliac crest osseocutaneous free flap, based on the deep circumflex iliac artery and vein, was a landmark contribution to head and neck reconstruction. Two major problems associated with this flap are the lack of flexibility in placement of the skin paddle with relation to the bone graft, and the excessive thickness of the skin paddle when used in the oral cavity. The scapular osseocutaneous flap has achieved recent popularity for mandibular reconstruction based, in part, on its thin skin paddle that is easily positioned in three dimensions with relation to the bone graft. However, the segment of bone that can be harvested from the iliac crest is superior to that of the lateral border of the scapula because of its increased length, thickness, and natural contour. In 1984 the internal oblique free muscle flap based on the ascending branch of the deep circumflex iliac artery was described for use in reconstruction of the extremities only. The authors introduce the application of the internal oblique-iliac crest osseomyocutaneous free flap for mandibular reconstruction. The mobility of the internal oblique muscle with relation to the iliac bone graft has permitted its use for inner mucosal defects or outer cutaneous defects when covered with a skin graft. Following denervation atrophy, the muscle component becomes a thin, pliable piece of tissue that easily conforms to three-dimensional defects of the head and neck. This increased flexibility, the established benefits of the iliac bone, and the ease of intraoperative positioning for a two-team approach make this composite flap an outstanding tool for mandibular reconstruction. Two representative cases and a detailed description of flap harvesting, insetting, and donor-site closure are presented.
The goal of mandibular reconstruction is to rehabilitate the patient by restoring occlusal relationships, lower facial contour, oral continence, and a denture-bearing surface. One of the major advantages of the use of vascularized bone over all other methods of mandibular reconstruction is its ability to achieve dental rehabilitation rapidly. The use of osseointegrated dental implants is a valuable adjunct in oral rehabilitation. It provides the most rigid form of stabilization to withstand the forces of mastication. In situations in which soft tissue reconstruction or the height of the alveolar ridge is not sufficient for a tissue-borne denture, implants offer the most suitable alternative. Mandibular reconstruction with free tissue transfer techniques is ideally suited for the placement of implants. These can be inserted at the time of mandibular reconstruction. Four months after surgery, when the integration process has occurred, the implants are unroofed, loaded, and ready for prosthetic placement. We will present several representative patients who underwent mandibular reconstruction with microvascular free bone transfer who have been successfully rehabilitated by osseointegrated implants. The process of osseointegration, different types of dental implants, and issues regarding radiation and implants are discussed. This is the first report of dental rehabilitation by primary placement of dental implants in patients undergoing microvascular mandibular reconstruction.
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A prospective clinical and cephalometric study was conducted on 12 patients under the age of 12 years undergoing Le Fort III advancement with the following findings: 1. There was a remarkable degree of postoperative skeletal stability of the midfacial segment. 2. Disharmony in jaw relationship (anterior crossbite) observed during the period of longitudinal postoperative study could be attributed to expected mandibular development. 3. In some patients, growth and development of the maxilla in a forward and downward direction were documented after Le Fort III advancement. The authors recommend that a Le Fort III advancement can be safely performed at approximately age 4 without a deleterious effect on midfacial development in the patient with craniofacial dysostosis.
Experience in over 65 cases of microvascular mandibular reconstruction has resulted in the development of reliable techniques for bone fixation and contouring to achieve the best functional results. Methods of graft contouring and the application of rigid internal fixation are described in detail. Unusual situations in which the tumor extends through the buccal cortex of the mandible, and when condylar replacement is necessary, are presented. The options for managing these situations are discussed.