British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

This study reviewed the medical reports of 25 patients (21 female and 4 male) who were found to have been treated inappropriately by temporomandibular joint (TMJ) surgery. One of more Breaches of Duty and resultant harms (Causation) were identified for each of the patients in this series. Their ages ranged from 18–64 (mean 36.2, median 35) years. A narrative review of free text data revealed six main patterns of Breach of Duty which were to do with consent, inadequate pre-surgical imaging, injection of botulinum toxin into jaw muscles, TMJ arthroplasty, management of TMJ dislocation and subluxation, and failure or reluctance to request second opinions.

We aim to build a model to predict positive margin status after curative excision of facial non-melanoma skin cancer based on known risk factors that contribute to complexity of case mix.A pathology output of consecutive histology reports was requested of 3 Oral & Maxillofacial Units in the South East of England. The dependent variable was deep margin and peripheral margin clearance at 0.5mm threshold.A total of 3354 cases were analysed. The positivity of either peripheral margin or deep margin for both SCC and BCC was 15.4% (Unit 1), 21.1% (Unit 2) and 15.4% (Unit 3).

Botulinum toxin (BTX) is becoming widely used as an adjunct to conservative management of myalgia predominant temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) with reports of improved quality of life. There is, however, no consensus on optimal dosage of BTX. Dose regimen varies between clinicians based on previous studies and there is no standard dose protocol that exists in administering BTX for the purpose of TMD management. A survey was sent to members of British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (BAOMS) Temporomandibular Joint Sub-Specialty Interest Group (TMJ SSIG) and an international mailing list of high volume TMJ surgeons (the TMJ Internetwork) to ascertain variation in dose regimens between different clinicians.

We found interest in the paper of Janaphan et al. and their study on the role of periodontal disease in fractures of the mandible. [1]

Dear Sir,

Cervicofacial infections carry significant morbidity. Patients present on a broad spectrum of severity, with some requiring outpatient management, and others admission to higher level care. Recognition of risk factors is helpful in decision making regarding the need for admission to higher level care.

Tear trough deformities and dark circles are important parts of periorbital aging. In this study, tear trough ligament reset was used to correct tear trough deformities, and its effect on dark circles was analysed.

The anterior displacement of the articular disc is the most frequent cause of pathological alterations in the TMJ. Although it is an extremely frequent pathology, there is no certainty about the etiopathogenesis of this disease. The main aim of the present report is to describe new anatomical findings that could help clarifying the etiopathogenesis of this disease and determine a typology of treatment based on the cause of the disease.

An unfavourable split is a well-known complication following a sagittal split osteotomy (SSO) of the mandible. Our aim was to analyse all unfavourable mandibular splits that had occurred when carrying out a SSO with the aim to design a classification which can facilitate management.

While healthcare should not be compared to aviation or indeed other high reliability organisations (HROs), many lessons, attitudes, and transferable practices can be applied and, more importantly, adapted from them to improve patient safety and team morale. The team brief before any interventional list is one such process that can have a significant effect on the delivery and safety of patient care and effective team working. Due to NHS pressures and the perception by some in healthcare that the time taken to conduct a full team briefing has little importance, it can sometimes be rushed or regarded as a ‘tick box’ process that delays a list.

The maxillary artery (MA) is a key structure at risk of injury in numerous Oral and Maxillofacial surgical (OMS) procedures. Knowledge of safe distances from this vessel to surgically familiar bony landmarks could improve patient safety and prevent catastrophic haemorrhage

Diagnostic histopathology plays a key role in the management of oral cancer and timely reports are essential. The aim of this study was to retrospectively compare the time interval between receipt of the specimen and issue of the histopathology report (the “turnaround time”, TT) of two types of oral cancer resections (mandibulectomies and glossectomies) and incisional biopsies from the tongue (n = 100 of each). The information documented included the number of days from receipt of specimen until the sample was ready for reporting, and the number of subsequent days until the report was authorised by the pathologist.

Social habits such as smoking and drinking alcohol are well-known causative agents for oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC/OPSCC). Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a known causative agent for OPSCC. However, we often encounter patients with no identifiable risk factors. There is growing evidence of the role of occupational carcinogens in the pathogenesis of oral cancer. The aim of this study therefore was to identify any occupational carcinogens linked to oral cancer. We carried out a systematic review of the literature using PubMed, EMBASE, and Medline, along with a retrospective review of patients treated in a regional unit over 25 years.

This short communication will share the author’s experience and protocols using stereolithographic (SLA) models to simulate zygomatic implant surgery.

Porcine mandibular defect models are commonly used for the preclinical evaluation of reconstruction techniques. Existing studies vary in technique, complexity, and postoperative outcomes. The procedures are complex and often described without sufficient detail. We describe in detail a simple and reproducible method for creating a critical-size mandibular defect in a porcine model. Seven hemimandibular critical size defects were created in five male Yorkshire-Landrace pigs, three with unilateral defects and two with bilateral defects.

I read with great interest the article by Jang et al, “Is it worth applying self-irrigation after third molar extraction? A randomised controlled trial”.1 In their randomised controlled study, the authors investigated the effects of self-irrigation of the mandibular third molar extraction socket using a syringe, and concluded that the self-irrigation method was effective for keeping the socket clean. I appreciate the efforts of the authors in conducting a comprehensive study. However, I would like to raise two concerns.

The aim of this systematic review is not only to analyse the accuracy of clinical examination and radiological preoperative assessment of mandibular invasion reported in isolation, but to highlight those reports that have combined them rather than assessing accuracy in isolation.A total of 1576 titles and abstracts published between 1995 – 2000 were screened following a literature search in PubMed. Keywords were “mandible” and “squamous cell carcinoma”. 90 full manuscripts were reviewed with 24 meeting defined inclusion/exclusion criteria and yielding the data reported.

Head and neck ultrasonography with fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the British Association of Head and Neck Oncologists (BAHNO) for investigating neck masses. Finite specialist radiologists and increased demands on services have increased waiting lists and breached targets. Many patients are on a two-week cancer pathway and accurate investigation cannot be delayed. The implementation of a sonographer trained in neck ultrasound-guided FNAC was analysed together with its impact on the service.

Females remain under-represented in surgery in the United Kingdom and around the globe. Gender representation on journal editorial boards is one of the key metrics of gender representation within academic surgery. The aim of this study was to quantify gender representation within the editorial leadership of journals affiliated with UK surgical specialties. A web-based search for each of the UK surgical specialty associations was conducted, followed by identification of the endorsed journals for each one.

Anterior maxillary osteotomy (AMO) has reported by Cohn-Stock in 1921, modified methods such as Wassmund, Cuper, Wunderer, and Epker methods have been described 1,2. However, it has been reported that periodontal tissue atrophy or partial necrosis may occur due to blood supply problems in the anterior segment3,4,5. In fact, we have encountered cases of periodontal tissue atrophy (Fig.1). Therefore, we established a novel AMO strategy to further improve the blood supply in the periodontal tissues near the osteotomy line.

To validate an already published facial anteroposterior reference: Upper Incisor (UI) to Soft Tissue Plane or so-called Barcelona line (BL) to trace the most aesthetic sagittal position of the maxilla.

Managing the physical sequelae of facial trauma is routine for the maxillofacial surgeon. However, managing the psychological consequences is more challenging. The often violent mechanism of injury, changes in appearance, altered self-perception, and self-confidence can significantly impact daily life. This review summarises the literature regarding post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and facial trauma, highlighting evidence to guide clinical practice. PubMed and MEDLINE were searched for relevant keywords and MeSH headings.

The objective of this study was to evaluate facial soft and hard tissue changes, individually and relative to each other, in patients with skeletal class III deformity after bimaxillary surgery using three-dimensional (3D) photos obtained by white light scanning. Thirty patients with skeletal class III deformity who underwent bimaxillary surgery were selected. Each patient underwent white light scanning and spiral computed tomography (CT) within two weeks before (T0) and six months after surgery (T1).

Augmented Reality (AR) Head Mounted Devices (HMD) allow the wearer to have digital images superposed onto their field of vision. It is being used to superpose annotations onto the surgical field akin to a navigation system. This review examines the published validation studies on HMD-AR systems, their reported protocols and outcomes. The aim is to establish commonalities and an acceptable registration outcome.

The objectives of this study were to observe hard tissue changes in guided bone regeneration (GBR) with intact periosteum and soft block deproteinised bovine bone mineral (DBBM), and evaluate whether the result of horizontal bone augmentation varied by initial peri-implant defect depth. Forty patients with a single missing tooth and contained peri-implant defect were categorised into three groups according to their presurgical defect depth (≤ 2, 2–4, and 4–6 mm). Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images were collected and reconstructed preoperatively, postoperatively, and at six months’ follow up.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of dysplasia in patients undergoing primary surgery with curative intent in the treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). This study specifically aimed to demonstrate the effect of dysplasia on local recurrence, disease specific survival (DSS) and overall survival (OS). Data collection for 833 patients with OSCC undergoing treatment for curative intent was undertaken retrospectively for the period of February 2006 to May 2020.

Oral and maxillofacial surgical (OMFS) practice and training in Europe is supported by the OMFS Section of the Union of European Medical Specialists (UEMS). Across Europe the number of OMFS specialists per 100,000 varies from 3.0 (Switzerland) to 0.28 (Ireland). The two types of OMFS within the European Union (EU) under Directive 2005/36 and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) treaties are dual degree dental, oral and maxillofacial surgery (DOMFS) and single medical degree maxillofacial surgery (MFS).

OMFS training in Europe has incrementally improved over the last 50 years. However, not all European nations have a formal written curriculum/syllabus, quality indicators, exit examinations, or guidelines for training programmes or trainers. In 2021 the OMFS Section of the Union of European Medical Specialists (UEMS) created an OMFS European Training Requirement (OMFS ETR) to help address these gaps and raise training standards in Europe. This paper includes key lessons from OMFS training programmes across Europe.

The trend in recent decades in Europe and the United States points to an exponential increase in the consumption of antidepressant drugs and, in particular, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). This retrospective study aimed to investigate whether there is an association between SSRI intake and dental implant (DI) failure or survival and, secondarily, to investigate the influence of other systemic and local factors. This retrospective cohort study was done in accordance with the the STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) guidelines for observational studies.

We describe a risk adjustment algorithm to benchmark and report free flap failure rates after immediate reconstruction of head and neck defects. A dataset of surgical care episodes for curative surgery for head and neck cancer and immediate reconstruction (n = 1593) was compiled from multiple NHS hospitals (n = 8). The outcome variable was complete flap failure. Classification models using preoperative patient demographic data, operation data, functional status data and tumour stage data, were built.

We developed a simple and effective method for eyelid reconstruction after resection of a minor nevus on the eyelid margin. With a vertical advancement flap to repair the defect, all patients were satisfied with the cosmetic and functional results of the eyelids, and no significant complications occurred.

Computerised surgical planning (CSP) and computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) have been demonstrated to increase surgical accuracy and reduce operative time in free flap mandibular reconstruction, but evidence is lacking as to their impact on patient-centred outcomes. Implant-supported dental prostheses, however, have been associated with improved quality of life outcomes following free flap mandibular reconstruction. We aim to review reported patient-centred outcomes in mandibular reconstruction with CSP and CAD/CAM and determine whether use of these technologies is associated with higher rates of dental implant placement following free flap mandibular reconstruction.

The incidence of head injury in maxillofacial trauma patients varies widely in the literature. A good understanding of the patterns of association between these injuries would aid in efficient multidisciplinary treatment. The aim of this study therefore was to understand the associations between head injury and facial trauma by retrospectively analysing the records of patients seen at a tertiary care trauma centre. Demographic data were also described. Records of 4350 facial trauma patients over a five-year period were reviewed.

The aim of this study was to describe a series of patients who have undergone a medial canthal reconstruction with a glabellar superciliary bilobed flap. A series of 30 patients were included with medial canthal defects after excision of medial canthal tumour who underwent reconstruction using a glabellar-superciliary bilobed flap of adjoining skin and subcutaneous tissue. Eighteen procedures were performed under local anaesthesia. The remaining 12 cases were combined with major lid reconstruction and performed under general anaesthesia.

Orbital fractures are among the most frequent facial traumas. This study retrospectively analysed patients treated in Umberto I Hospital Trauma-Centre, Sapienza University of Rome from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2020. The inclusion criteria were as follows: diagnosis of pure/impure orbital bone fracture, complete clinical and radiological records, and a minimum 12-month follow up. Gender, age, aetiology, fracture type, treatment, and associated complications were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics, and p values of <0.05 were considered significant.

Patrick Magennis

The commonest cause of microvascular free flap failure is thrombosis at the anastomosis. Pharmacological antithrombotic therapies have been used to mitigate this risk, but they carry the risk of bleeding and haematoma formation. To justify any intervention, it is necessary to evaluate the benefits and balance of risks. This meta-analysis aims to quantify the value of systemic anticoagulation during head and neck free tissue reconstruction. We performed a systematic review on the impact of additional prophylactic antithrombotic therapy on head and neck (H&N) free tissue transfer (on top and above the use of low molecular weight heparin to prevent deep vein thrombosis).

This study was aimed to identify key clinicopathological variables that predict recurrence in those undergoing curative resection of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) with emphasis on initial treatment failure patterns. Between February 2006 to May 2020, clinicopathological data on 833 patients who underwent curative resection of OSCC were gathered. Outcomes of interest included local, regional, distant, and overall recurrence. Univariate analysis was performed to identify significant clinicopathological variables for each recurrence type, and a multivariate regression analysis was utilised to generate predictive models.

The authors regret the follow errors in the above published paper, where the ethic approval and acknowledgement was missing, the correct statements are as follows:

Cervicofacial infection (CFI) is a frequently encountered presentation to Oral and Maxillofacial Departments (OMFS). The United Kingdom has recently seen cessation of all routine community dental treatment due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and consequently an initial modification of treatment received in secondary care. Subsequent airway difficulties and the need for level 2 High Dependency Unit (HDU) or level 3 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is a concern to surgeons and anaesthetists alike.

Unlike fractures of the remaining facial skeleton, fractures of the non-condylar part of the mandible are invariably treated surgically, with the potential risk of further iatrogenic injury. There is, however, a substantial evidence gap pertaining to the potential non-surgical management of such injuries. The aim of this study was to determine the outcomes of mandibular fractures treated with non-surgical management. All patients with mandibular fractures who were referred to a large regional major trauma service over a one-year period (1 January–31 December 2021) were identified.

Oral and maxillofacial (OMFS) facial fractures account for approximately 5%-10% of presentations to emergency departments in the UK. Although most trauma is treated operatively, different methods of surgery exist for the same clinical presentation and non- surgical management is in some cases appropriate. Analysis of patient morbidity is an essential component of clinical governance in surgery. OMFS units in the UK should hold regular morbidity and mortality (M&M) meetings, but no consensus exists for which cases should be discussed.

Defects in head and neck regions are standardly treated with microvascular grafts, such as free scapular (SFF) and fibular flaps (FFF), which are subject to a certain amount of bone resorption over time. The aim of this study was the 3-dimensional evaluation of bone resorption volume in both grafts. Over a period of 10 years, computed tomograms (CT) of patients with mandibular reconstructions with SFFs and FFFs were examined. The respective grafts were segmented as well as 3-dimensionally measured.

Lower eyelid malposition (LEM) is a common sequela after orbital fracture reconstruction. This study aimed to analyse the development of LEM, specifically ectropion and entropion, following primary orbital fracture reconstruction, to identify predictive factors for LEM, and to assess the effect of the eyelid complication on patients’ daily lives. The retrospective cohort comprised patients who had undergone orbital floor and/or medial wall fracture reconstruction for recent trauma. Demographics, fracture type and site, surgery and implant-related variables, follow-up time and number of visits, type and severity of LEM, subsequent surgical correction, and patient satisfaction, were analysed.

The purpose of this paper was to describe the characteristics of salivary calculi and their relationship to epidemiological factors, through a cross-sectional study. We analysed 100 calculi obtained in 2017–2021. Patient data including age, time since onset of symptoms, gland involved, and site of location in the salivary system were studied. The calculi were studied to determine their morphological features using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive plain radiographic analysis. Most of the calculi had formed in the submandibular gland (SG) (82%).

Pterygomaxillary disarticulation (PMD) contributes to surgical complications of Le Fort 1 osteotomy and is associated with undesirable fractures of the pterygoid plates. The aim of this paper was to investigate the patterns of PMD in Le Fort I osteotomies using Rowe's disimpaction forceps, and to evaluate correlations with age and anatomical measurements. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans of 70 consecutive orthognathic patients were retrospectively evaluated to study four patterns of PMD: Type 1 - PMD at, or anterior to, the pterygomaxillary junction (PMJ); Type 2 - PMD posterior to the PMJ; Type 3 - PMJ separation with comminuted fracture of the pterygoid plates; Type 4 - disarticulation of the maxilla involving the pterygoid plates above the level of the osteotomy line.

Fractures of the mandible are common in contemporary oral and maxillofacial practice. Wound infection is the most common complication after open reduction and internal fixation, and the management of these is complex and costly in terms of morbidity to the patient, and in fiscal terms. Whilst numerous epidemiological studies implicate smoking, alcohol, drug use, and adverse behaviour, as well as fracture complexity and diabetes, as important risk factors, the role of periodontal disease is only occasionally mentioned and not formally investigated.

We read with interest the article by Esen et al entitled ‘Biomechanical evaluation of two miniplate fixations applied in the anterior region after Le Fort I osteotomy: an experimental study’.1