ABSTRACT
OBJECT: Resorbable polymer implants have become a compelling option in the treatment of acquired and congenital craniofacial deformities. In particular, the resorbable polylactide and polyglycolide polymers have demonstrated excellent safety profiles in multiple in vitro, animal, and clinical studies and are currently being used in a wide variety of craniofacial applications. In pediatric craniofacial reconstruction a desirable attribute of fixation is early resorption, which may limit the duration of any effect on cranial growth. In this paper the authors discuss the biomaterial properties of a fast resorbing polymer (FRP) and the clinical results in a series of patients who participated in a 6- to 12-month study. METHODS: The authors performed craniofacial reconstruction by using FRP implants in 29 patients beginning in August 2002. All patients experienced maintenance of stable bone fixation followed by bone healing. Cosmetic results were rated satisfactory or excellent, except for one unsatisfactory cosmetic result caused by disease progression. CONCLUSIONS: Results of this study support the effectiveness of an FRP implant in a variety of craniofacial surgical procedures including craniosynostoses, fibrous dysplasia, cranial defects, and encephaloceles.
Subject(s)
Absorbable Implants , Craniofacial Abnormalities/surgery , Facial Bones/surgery , Glycolates , Bone Screws , Child , Child, Preschool , Craniosynostoses/surgery , Facial Injuries/surgery , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Infant , Lactic Acid , Orbital Diseases/surgery , Polyglycolic Acid , Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer , Surgical Mesh , Treatment Outcome , Wound HealingABSTRACT
Resorbable polymer implants have become a compelling option in the treatment of acquired and congenital craniofacial deformities. The resorbable polylactide (PLa) and polyglycolide (PGa) polymers in particular have demonstrated excellent safety profile sin multiple in vitro, animal, and clinical studies and are currently being used in a wide variety of craniofacial applications. In this article, the authors discuss the biomaterial properties of PLa and PGa resorbable implants and provide an overview of the use of these polymers in craniofacial surgery. They conclude by relating their experience with an ongoing clinical series using MacroPore PLDLa and FRP implants for various applications,including Le Fort osteotomies, midface/monobloc internal distraction, and craniosynostosis reconstruction.
