Gingivoperiosteoplasty in Children with Cleft Lip and Palate: The Need for Alveolar Bone Grafting.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the efficacy of gingivoperiosteoplasty (GPP) in preventing alveolar bone grafting (ABG) among children with cleft lip and palate (CLP). DESIGN/SETTING: Retrospective university hospital single center study. PATIENTS: Children with CLP treated with GPP from 2000-2015 were included. Those under eight years of age, without definitive conclusions regarding need for ABG or with incomplete data were excluded. INTERVENTIONS: Included patients were analyzed for demographics, cleft type, age at GPP, associated cleft surgery, use of nasoalveolar molding (NAM), indication for ABG, operating surgeon and presence of residual alveolar fistula. T-tests and Fisher's exact tests were utilized for statistical analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The need for ABG. RESULTS: Of the 1682 children identified with CLP, 64 underwent GPP and met inclusion criteria. 78% of patients with CLP who underwent GPP were recommended for ABG. Those who received GPP at a younger age (P = .004) and at the time of initial cleft lip repair (P = .022) were less likely to be recommended for ABG. Patients with complete CLP were more likely to be recommended for ABG than patients with cleft lip and alveolus only (P = .015). The operating surgeon impacted the likelihood of ABG (P = .004). Patient gender, race, ethnicity, laterality, and NAM were not significantly associated with recommendation for ABG. CONCLUSION: GPP does not preclude the need for ABG. Therefore, the success of ABG after GPP and maxillary growth restriction should be analyzed further to determine if GPP is a worthwhile adjunct to ABG in cleft care.

US air pollution is associated with increased incidence of non-syndromic cleft lip/palate.

Maternal cigarette use is associated with the fetal development of orofacial clefts. Air pollution should be investigated for similar causation. We hypothesize that the incidence of non-syndromic cleft lip with or without palate (NSCLP) and non-syndromic cleft palate (NSCP) would be positively correlated with air pollution concentration. METHODS: The incidence of NSCLP and NSCP per 1000 live births from 2016 to 2020 was extracted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Vital Statistics Database and merged with national reports on air pollution using the Environmental Protection Agency Air Quality Systems annual data. The most commonly reported pollutants were analyzed including benzene, sulfur dioxide (SO2), particulate matter (PM) 2.5, PM 10, ozone (O3), and carbon monoxide (CO). Multivariable negative binomial and Poisson log-linear regression models evaluated the incidence of NSCLP and NSCP as a function of the pollutants, adjusting for race. All p-values are reported with Bonferroni correction. RESULTS: The median NSCLP incidence was 0.22/1000 births, and isolated NSCP incidence was 0.18/1000 births. For NSCLP, SO2 had a coefficient estimate (CE) of 0.60 (95% CI [0.23, 0.98], p < 0.007) and PM 2.5 had a CE of 0.20 (95% CI [0.10, 0.31], p < 0.005). Among isolated NSCP, no pollutants were found to be significantly associated. CONCLUSION: SO2 and PM 2.5 were significantly correlated with increased incidence of NSCLP. The American people and perinatal practitioners should be aware of the connection to allow for risk reduction and in utero screening.

American Indian and Alaska Native Accessibility to Comprehensive Cleft Lip and Palate Treatment.

American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) have the highest incidence of cleft lip and palate (orofacial clefts [OFCs]) when compared to other ethnic groups. We aim to determine the AI/AN populations' proximity and accessibility to American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association accredited centers (ACPA centers) for treatment of OFCs. Our hypothesis is an unacceptable proportion of the AI/AN population lacks reasonable accessibility to ACPA centers and comprehensive craniofacial care.A cross-sectional study of ACPA centers and AI/AN populations were analyzed for possible disparities.ACPA centers were mapped using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and compared with 2018 census population data and 2017 Tribal Census Tract data to visually display possible disparities. Total annual potential pediatric cleft care need for selected high-density AI/AN populated lands were estimated.GIS mapping demonstrates geographical isolation of AI/AN populations from ACPA centers. Two states with high AI/AN populated lands (ND, WY) have no ACPA centers. 47.1% of ACPA centers in high AI/AN populated lands have no craniofacial trained surgeons versus 78.9% craniofacial staffed ACPA centers nationally. The potential unmet cleft and craniofacial care need in selected high-density AI/AN populated lands is 1042 children.AI/AN populations are likely underserved by ACPA centers and by craniofacial fellowship-trained staffed centers. Not addressing OFCs with comprehensive care can lead to worsened outcomes and further marginalization of these children. With future studies, we will be capable of making data-driven, informed decisions to more effectively ensure AI/AN access to comprehensive cleft and craniofacial care.

Nationwide Resident Access to Elective Rotations: A Survey Study.

OBJECTIVE: This study seeks to assess the status of elective rotations offered in plastic and reconstructive surgery residency programs throughout the country while also qualifying resident and alumni experiences and identifying barriers to offering electives. DESIGN: Two prospective surveys were created for (1) program leadership and (2) residents, fellows, and alumni's who have graduated in the last 5 years. SETTING: This is a multi-institutional survey study. PARTICIPANTS: Of 81 plastic and reconstructive surgery programs, 45 programs, and 102 residents, fellows and/or recent graduates responded to survey 2. RESULTS: Fifty-six percent of respondents stated that their institution offered electives, 62% of which permitted residents to participate in regional, national, and international rotations primarily in the fifth and sixth years of training. Types of elective rotations completed included aesthetic, craniofacial, sex, hand, and microsurgery. Fifty-three percent responding programs denied barriers to offering elective rotations. When programs noted barriers, the most common were cost to resident/department (28%), institutional Graduate Medical Education policy (22%), and lack of service coverage at the home institution (22%). There was no difference between departments versus divisions offering electives (56.3% vs 57.1%, P = 0.95). Programs that did not offer electives spent an average of 14.6 months on general surgery compared with 9.4 months for programs that did offer electives ( P = 0.06). For programs that did not currently offer elective rotations, 71% indicated a desire to do so. CONCLUSION: The primary goal of plastic surgery training programs is to produce plastic surgeons of the highest caliber with regard to safety and competence. Although several regulatory bodies ensure that programs adhere to a similar standard, not all programs have opportunities for residents to experience the breadth of our multifaceted specialty. Elective rotations constitute an excellent supplement to a well-rounded training where gaps may exist.

Factors Associated With Delay in Cleft Surgery at a Tertiary Children's Hospital in a Major US Metropolitan City.

OBJECTIVE: To identify factors associated with late cleft repair at a US tertiary children's hospital. DESIGN: Retrospective study of children with CL/P using Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) records. SETTING: US tertiary children's hospital. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: Patients undergoing primary CL or CP repair at CHLA from 2009 to 2018. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Proportion of children who had delayed primary CL repair or CP repair using CHLA and American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association (ACPA) guidelines and factors associated with late surgery. RESULTS: In total, 805 patients-503 (62.5%) who had CL repair, 302 (37.5%) CP repair-were included. Using CHLA protocol, 14.3% of patients seeking CL repair had delayed surgery. Delay was significantly associated with female gender, non-Hispanic ethnicity, Spanish primary language, government insurance, bilateral cleft, cleft lip and palate (CLP), and syndromic diagnosis. Using ACPA guidelines, 5.4% had delayed surgery. Female gender and syndromic diagnosis were significantly associated with delay and remained significant after adjustment for confounders in multivariate models. For CP repair, 60.3% of patients had delayed surgery using CHLA protocol. Cleft lip and palate diagnosis, complete cleft, syndromic diagnosis, and longer travel distance were significantly associated with delay. Using ACPA guidelines, 28.5% had delayed surgery; however, significant association with patient variables was not consistently observed. CONCLUSIONS: Delay in cleft surgery occurs most often for patients seeking CP repair and is associated with female gender, non-Hispanic ethnicity, Spanish language, government insurance, and bilateral CL, CLP, or syndromic diagnoses. Initiatives should aim to optimize cleft surgery delivery for these subpopulations.

Sebaceous Nevus of the Scalp.

Excisions of scalp nevus sebaceous (NS) presents a unique challenge due to limited soft tissue laxity, hair-bearing skin, and convex surfaces which often leave the surgeon and patient underwhelmed with the reconstructive outcome. In this study, the authors conducted an institutional review board-approved retrospective review of patients who underwent excision of pathologically proven scalp primary NS from 2003 to 2017 at our institution to better define the reconstructive outcomes and options for treatment of pediatric scalp NS. 92 patients were included in the study, 54 males (58.7%) and 38 females (41.3%). The average age at surgery was 7.24 years (0.5-16.0; SD 4.7). Local tissue undermining/galeal scoring with primary closure (LTUGS) was used for lesions with average surface area of 3.6 cm, rotational or transposition flaps (RF/TF) for lesions averaging 4.3 cm, completed serial excision for lesions averaging 13.9 cm, and tissue expansion (TE) for lesions averaging 21 cm (P <0.001). One or more poor outcomes were experienced by 35 patients (38%), with a significant difference between the surgical groups; LTUGS 37.2% (29/78), RF/TF 60% (3/5), serial excision 100% (3/3), TE 0% (0/6) (P = 0.022). Univariant binary regression analysis within the LTUGS and RF/TF groups showed that lesion size was a significant predictor of poor outcomes (P = 0.012). All specimens in this study were negative for carcinoma. Therefore, most pediatric nevus sebaceous of the scalp can be managed by a single-phase procedure though risk of poor outcomes increase with nevus size with high rates of poor outcomes even with small lesions.

Cosmetically Challenging Congenital Melanocytic Nevi.

BACKGROUND: Congenital melanocytic nevi (CMN) have a 1% to 5% lifetime risk for malignant transformation, with 50% of transformations occurring before the age of 5 years.The aim of this study is to assess the risk of melanoma development in pediatric patients with facial CMN involving the eyebrows, eyelid margins, and nasal alae where a margin of CMN was not excised to preserve these structures. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of all pediatric patients with CMN from 1986 to 2014 was performed to review demographic information, diagnosis, and number of surgeries. Patients' clinical photographs were evaluated for residual nevi after completion of the treatment. RESULTS: More than 950 medical charts of patients with CMN of the face area were reviewed. We identified 32 patients (13; 41% male) that met the study criteria with pathology-confirmed diagnosis of facial CMN with an average age of 4.4 years (3.3 months-15.8 years) at the time of initial surgery. The CMNs were classified into small (1; 3%), medium (14; 44%), large (14; 44%), and giant (3; 9%) based on their projected adult sizes. No patients developed melanoma within the small residual lesions left over the eyebrows and eyelids and inside nostrils at an average follow-up time of 5.6 (1.0-14.4) years and average age of 9.6 (1.8-19.2) years at the time of last follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Although a lifelong risk of malignant transformation of the residual CMN cannot be concluded, our results found no transformation in follow-up visits at an average age beyond the highest risk of melanoma development in childhood. We feel that leaving residual lesions on the face in areas of important anatomic structures for better cosmetic outcome is an acceptable risk.

Less Is More in Congenital and Pediatric Nasal Lesions.

Congenital and pediatric nasal lesion resection and their reconstructive outcomes are not well studied. A surgeon must consider the site, size, depth, etiology, age, and effect on future function (including growth). As such, it is important to contrast the differences between the adult's and child's nose. The authors propose that more conservative resection and reconstructive methods may better serve congenital and pediatric nasal lesions. An Internal Review Board approved study of congenital and pediatric nasal lesions using a defect only approach from 2005 to 2017 was performed. Lesions, type of surgeries, complications, aesthetic outcome, and additional interventions were reviewed. One hundred twenty-seven patients met the study criteria with a median age at surgery of 5.4 years with follow-up of 1.4 years (1 week-11.3 years). The most common diagnosis was congenital melanocytic nevus (47, 37%). The lesions were located on more than 1 subunit in 34 (27%) patients with an average surface area of 3.7 (0.04-32) cm. The most common primary procedure was excision and primary closure with adjacent tissue undermining/rearrangement (73, 57.4%) followed by full-thickness skin graft (23, 18.1%). The aesthetic outcome was considered acceptable in a high number of patients 117 (92%), while 10 (8%) patients had unacceptable aesthetic outcomes, mostly due to scarring. The authors' data supports the concept of minimal healthy tissue excision or lesion only excision when treating pediatric and congenital nasal lesions.

External Port Tissue Expansion in the Pediatric Population: Confirming Its Safety and Efficacy.

BACKGROUND: External filling ports in tissue expander-based reconstruction have the advantages of being associated with less pain and emotional distress. However, among practicing surgeons using tissue expansion, a theoretical concern remains regarding higher risk of infection. The authors' goal was to evaluate external port safety in the pediatric population by looking at the complications and overall success rate of reconstruction. METHODS: A retrospective review of all patients undergoing tissue expansion using external ports at Children's Hospital Los Angeles between January of 2008 and June of 2016 was conducted. Patient demographic and perioperative data were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: Two hundred forty-one expanders were placed in 100 pediatric patients, resulting in 123 procedures for congenital and acquired conditions, with an average age at the time of surgery of 7.1 years (range, 1 month to 19.9 years) and average follow-up length of 2.5 years (range, 2.8 months to 8.8 years). The overall complication rate was 29.9 percent, and the infection rate was 17 percent. The majority of these cases were treated conservatively without additional need for surgery. Of 123 cases, 25 required premature expander removal because of complications. Despite early intervention, 21 of these cases underwent successful completion of their reconstruction according to the preoperative plan, resulting in an overall 96.7 percent success rate of tissue expander reconstruction. CONCLUSIONS: In children, who are often less tolerant of the pain and distress associated with internal port expansion, the authors encourage the use of external ports. This study found a high success rate in terms of successful reconstruction, with the majority of complications being treated conservatively. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, IV.

Is Postoperative Intensive Care Unit Care Necessary following Cranial Vault Remodeling for Sagittal Synostosis?

BACKGROUND: Of U.S. craniofacial and neurosurgeons, 94 percent routinely admit patients to the intensive care unit following cranial vault remodeling for correction of sagittal synostosis. This study aims to examine the outcomes and cost of direct ward admission following primary cranial vault remodeling for sagittal synostosis. METHODS: An institutional review board-approved retrospective review was undertaken of the records of all patients who underwent primary cranial vault remodeling for isolated sagittal craniosynostosis from 2009 to 2015 at a single pediatric hospital. Patient demographics, perioperative course, and outcomes were recorded. RESULTS: One hundred ten patients met inclusion criteria with absence of other major medical problems. Average age at operation was 6.7 months, with a mean follow-up of 19.8 months. Ninety-eight patients (89 percent) were admitted to a general ward for postoperative care, whereas the remaining 12 (11 percent) were admitted to the intensive care unit for preoperative or perioperative concerns. Among ward-admitted patients, there were four (3.6 percent) minor complications; however, there were no major adverse events, with none necessitating intensive care unit transfers from the ward and no mortalities. Average hospital stay was 3.7 days. The institution's financial difference in cost of intensive care unit stay versus ward bed was $5520 on average per bed per day. Omitting just one intensive care unit postoperative day stay for this patient cohort would reduce projected health care costs by a total of $540,960 for the study period. CONCLUSION: Despite the common practice of postoperative admission to the intensive care unit following cranial vault remodeling for sagittal craniosynostosis, the authors suggest that postoperative care be considered on an individual basis, with only a small percentage requiring a higher level of care. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, III.

Management of pediatric intramuscular venous malformations.

BACKGROUND: Intramuscular venous malformations (VMs) are rare, but can be highly symptomatic. There are few reports on outcomes, particularly pain, functional limitations, and muscle contractures. We aimed to compare results of medical management, sclerotherapy, and surgical resection. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 45 patients with an extremity or truncal intramuscular VM between June 2005 and June 2015 at a single institution. Outcomes were compared between treatment modalities with ANOVA and χ2 tests. RESULTS: Six patients (13%) were treated with medical management, 4 (9%) with surgical resection, 23 (51%) with sclerotherapy, and 12 (27%) with both surgery and sclerotherapy. Sclerotherapy alone decreased pain in 72%. Only 20% of patients presented with muscle contracture. For these patients, 33% resolved with sclerotherapy, physical therapy, and aspirin; 22% resolved with surgery, and 45% had persistent contracture. 40% of patients treated with sclerotherapy then surgery developed new muscle contractures, compared to 4% of sclerotherapy only patients and 0% of surgery only patients (p=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Medical management, surgery and sclerotherapy are effective treatments for intramuscular VMs. Observation and supportive care can be a primary treatment for patients with minimal symptomatology and no functional limitations. Sclerotherapy is more effective for treating pain than contractures and when used alone, rarely causes a new muscle contracture.

Doxycycline Sclerotherapy Is Superior in the Treatment of Pediatric Lymphatic Malformations.

PURPOSE: To evaluate efficacy of sclerotherapy with doxycycline versus sodium tetradecyl sulfate (STS) for treatment of macrocystic and mixed lymphatic malformations (LMs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This single-center retrospective review identified 41 children (17 boys; 24 girls; age range, 1 month to 15.4 y) who underwent sclerotherapy with doxycycline (n = 32) or STS (n = 9) for macrocystic (n = 31) or mixed (n = 10) LMs. There were 114 treatments performed, averaging 2.8 treatments (range, 1-8 treatments) per patient. Average follow-up time was 10 months (range, 1-59 months). Clinical response was deemed excellent or moderate if > 90% or > 50% of LMs resolved based on visual estimate. RESULTS: With doxycycline, 87% of patients (28 of 32) had excellent or moderate response with an average of 2.8 treatments (range, 1-7 treatments); 13% required subsequent resection. With 3% STS monotherapy, only 55% of patients (5 of 9) had excellent or moderate response with an average of 2.8 treatments (range, 1-8 treatments), and 33% required subsequent resection. Significantly fewer patients treated with STS responded well compared with patients treated with doxycycline (P = .03). Patients treated with STS had significantly longer follow-up than patients treated with doxycycline (27 months vs 6 months, P = .0001). CONCLUSIONS: Doxycycline monotherapy resulted in a high rate of excellent clinical outcomes after a few treatments without increased need for subsequent operative resection. These results support use of doxycycline sclerotherapy as primary treatment for macrocystic and mixed LMs in children.

Current Status of Surgical Planning for Orthognathic Surgery: Traditional Methods versus 3D Surgical Planning.

BACKGROUND: Orthognathic surgery has traditionally been performed using stone model surgery. This involves translating desired clinical movements of the maxilla and mandible into stone models that are then cut and repositioned into class I occlusion from which a splint is generated. Model surgery is an accurate and reproducible method of surgical correction of the dentofacial skeleton in cleft and noncleft patients, albeit considerably time-consuming. With the advent of computed tomography scanning, 3D imaging and virtual surgical planning (VSP) have gained a foothold in orthognathic surgery with VSP rapidly replacing traditional model surgery in many parts of the country and the world. What has yet to be determined is whether the application and feasibility of virtual model surgery is at a point where it will eliminate the need for traditional model surgery in both the private and academic setting. METHODS: Traditional model surgery was compared with VSP splint fabrication to determine the feasibility of use and accuracy of application in orthognathic surgery within our institution. RESULTS: VSP was found to generate acrylic splints of equal quality to model surgery splints in a fraction of the time. Drawbacks of VSP splint fabrication are the increased cost of production and certain limitations as it relates to complex craniofacial patients. CONCLUSIONS: It is our opinion that virtual model surgery will displace and replace traditional model surgery as it will become cost and time effective in both the private and academic setting for practitioners providing orthognathic surgical care in cleft and noncleft patients.

Defining pediatric orbital roof fractures: patterns, sequelae, and indications for operation.

BACKGROUND: There are few published data addressing pediatric orbital roof fractures, particularly regarding long-term outcomes and indications for operative intervention. To provide evidence-based guidelines for the management of these injuries, the authors examined a large cohort of patients with this injury pattern. METHODS: Institutional review board approval was obtained to review pediatric patients presenting to Johns Hopkins Hospital from 1991 to 2011. All patients with a diagnosis indicating orbital or skull base fractures were reviewed to determine orbital roof involvement. Patients with roof fractures were assessed for demographics, management, and outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 1484 pediatric patients carried the diagnoses of orbital fracture or anterior skull base fracture. After review, 159 patients (11 percent) were found to have true orbital roof fractures, with 36 percent being comminuted. One hundred five patients returned after discharge (average follow-up, 19 months). One patient developed vertical dystopia 10 months after being lost to follow-up with a large, comminuted fracture. Ten patients underwent surgery to repair the orbital roof. Inferior displacement correlated with need for surgical repair (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In the largest study to date analyzing pediatric orbital roof fractures, the authors found that most can be managed conservatively with good long-term outcomes. Vertical dystopia occurred in less than 1 percent of patients and was associated with large, comminuted fractures. Inferiorly displaced and fractures with a surface area over 2 cm represent higher risk fractures that should be followed closely for possible intervention based on the development of sequelae such as vertical dystopia or encephalocele. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, IV.

Local response to chemoradiation in T4 larynx cancer with cartilage invasion.

BACKGROUND: Patients with cartilage invasion were excluded from organ preservation protocols treating laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer. Treatment choice between chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and total laryngectomy (TL) remains controversial for these patients. OBJECTIVE: To assess local response and local recurrence after CRT for patients having T4 larynx or hypopharynx cancer with cartilage invasion. DESIGN: Retrospective intervention study. SETTING: : Tertiary-care, urban public hospital. PATIENTS: Patients with T4 squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx/hypopharynx with cartilage invasion treated from 2003 to 2009. INTERVENTION: Curative-intent CRT, compared to TL. OUTCOME MEASURES: Local response and local recurrence. RESULTS: Of 34 patients included in this study, 21 completed CRT and 13 underwent TL with postoperative RT or CRT. With CRT, 19 patients were noted to have a complete response at the primary site while two patients had persistent local disease. Of 19 patients with complete response, 4 developed local recurrence over a time period 76-226 days (mean: 177 days). This resulted in a 29% incidence of persistent/recurrent disease at the primary site. The remaining 15 patients (71%) remained free of local disease (mean follow-up: 369 days). For 13 patients undergoing TL with adjuvant therapy, there were no cases of local recurrence (mean follow-up: 389 days). CONCLUSIONS: Although there was a high initial complete response rate after CRT, this response was not durable with a high local recurrence rate within 1 year. In comparison, patients undergoing TL demonstrated markedly better local control. For patients with cartilage invasion, a prospective trial comparing medical versus surgical therapy is needed.