Delayed formation of sterile abscess after zygomaticomaxillary complex fracture treatment with bioabsorbable plates

We present a patient who showed a sterile abscess after facial bone fixation with bioabsorbable plates and screws. He had zygomaticomaxillary complex and periorbital fracture due to falling down. The displaced bones were treated by open reduction and internal fixation successfully using bioabsorbable plate system. However, at postoperative 11 months, abrupt painless swelling was noted on the previous operation sites, left lateral eyebrow and lower eyelid. By surgical exploration, pus-like discharge and degraded materials were observed and debrided. The pathologic analysis revealed foreign body reaction with sterile abscess. This complication followed by bioabsorbable device implantation on maxillofacial bone surgery has been rarely reported in which we call attention to the maxillofacial plastic surgeons.

The Efficacy of Bioabsorbable Mesh as an Internal Splint in Primary Septoplasty

Nasal bone fractures are often accompanied by septal fractures or deformity. Posttraumatic nasal deformity is usually caused by septal fractures. Submucosal resection and septoplasty are commonly used surgical techniques for the correction of septal deviation. However, septal perforation or saddle nose deformity is a known complication of submucosal resection. Hence, we chose to perform septoplasty, which is a less invasive procedure, as the primary treatment for nasal bone fractures accompanied by septal fractures. During septoplasty, we used a bioabsorbable mesh as an internal splint. We used the endonasal approach and inserted the mesh bilaterally between the mucoperichondrial flap and the septal cartilage. The treatment outcomes were evaluated by computed tomography (CT) and the nasal obstruction symptom evaluation (NOSE) scale. The CT scans demonstrated a significant improvement in the septal deviation postoperatively. The symptomatic improvement rated by the NOSE scale was greater at 1 month and 6 months after surgery compared to the preoperative status. There were no cases of extrusion or infection of the implant. In cases of moderate or severe septal deviation without dislocation from the vomerine groove on the CT scan, our technique should be considered one of the treatments of choice.

The Efficacy of Bioabsorbable Mesh as an Internal Splint in Primary Septoplasty

Nasal bone fractures are often accompanied by septal fractures or deformity. Posttraumatic nasal deformity is usually caused by septal fractures. Submucosal resection and septoplasty are commonly used surgical techniques for the correction of septal deviation. However, septal perforation or saddle nose deformity is a known complication of submucosal resection. Hence, we chose to perform septoplasty, which is a less invasive procedure, as the primary treatment for nasal bone fractures accompanied by septal fractures. During septoplasty, we used a bioabsorbable mesh as an internal splint. We used the endonasal approach and inserted the mesh bilaterally between the mucoperichondrial flap and the septal cartilage. The treatment outcomes were evaluated by computed tomography (CT) and the nasal obstruction symptom evaluation (NOSE) scale. The CT scans demonstrated a significant improvement in the septal deviation postoperatively. The symptomatic improvement rated by the NOSE scale was greater at 1 month and 6 months after surgery compared to the preoperative status. There were no cases of extrusion or infection of the implant. In cases of moderate or severe septal deviation without dislocation from the vomerine groove on the CT scan, our technique should be considered one of the treatments of choice.

Osteólise extensa após uso de âncora bioabsorvível: relato de caso e revisão da literatura / Extensive osteolysis after the use of a bioabsorbable suture anchor: case report and literature review

Os implantes bioabsorvíveis são usados com muita frequência no tratamento das lesões do manguito rotador e lesões labiais do ombro. Vários pesquisadores observaram áreas pequenas de osteólise depois da utilização destas âncoras bioabsorvíveis no tratamento das patologias do ombro. Teorias biológicas e mecânicas são levantadas para justificar a osteólise causada por estes materiais. É descrito o caso de um paciente que realizou, simultaneamente, sutura do manguito rotador com a técnica de dupla fileira e sutura da lesão de Bankart com âncoras bioabsorvíveis de PLDLA e fios Fiber Wire®; evoluindo com extensa osteólise do colo anatômico do úmero. Tendo em vista que foi utilizada uma âncora na glenoide e esta não apresentou osteólise, levanta-se a hipótese de que os fatores mecânicos sejam importantes na etiologia desta complicação.

Bioabsorbable implants are frequently used in the treatment of rotator cuff and shoulder labrum injuries. Many authors have observed small areas of osteolysis after repair of shoulder abnormalities with absorbable anchors. Biological and mechanic theories are put forward to account for the osteolysis caused by these materials. We present a case of a patient who was simultaneously treated for a rotator cuff lesion with the double-row technique and a Bankart lesion with bioabsorbable PLLA anchors, and developed extensive osteolysis of the anatomic neck of the humerus. Because no lysis appeared in the glenoid around the other PLLA implant, we hypothesized that mechanical factors are important in the etiology of this complication.

Bioabsorbable Skeletal Fixation System Devices in Reduction for Facial Bone Fracture

The rigid metal fixation devices are currently the most widely used in maxillofacial surgery. The use of metal plate and screw fixation, however, is not free of some postoperative complication. Once the fractures have healed, metal devices no longer serve any tissue purpose other than the potential for adverse reaction, including loosening, palpability, corrosion, and artifacts in CT and MRI, and they restrict growth of the neurocranium. To overcome these drawbacks, there had been a continuous research on the development of a bioabsorbable skeletal fixation system using polymers of polylactic and polyglycolic acid. There is an increasing acceptance of there use as an alternative fixation device in craniomaxillofacial surgery. We have used the BiosorbFX(R) system(Bionix Implants Ltd) in 48 patients of facial bone fractures. Age varied from 3 to 70(mean 34) and follow up period varied form 1 months to 10 months(mean 5 months). A total of 860 bioabsorbable devices(151 plates and 709 screws) was used. We encountered no significant intraoperative difficulties in obtaining placement of the devices. No patients has experienced any implant-related complications including infection, fracture instability or relapse, or radiographic evidence of osteolysis. The use of nonmetallic materials as a fixation devices that will be resorbed after facial bone fracture healing, therefore, would have advantages. The good results indicate that the use of bioabsorbable implants can be considered for the fixation of facial bone fractures.