[Skin expansion in cicatricial alopecia of the scalp: 18 cases]. / Expansion cutanée dans les alopécies cicatricielles du cuir chevelu: 18 cas.

INTRODUCTION: Skin expansion technique used to increase the hair surface available at the scalp level was a major breakthrough in the surgical treatment of important cicatricial alopecia. This article had for aim to define the importance and limits of this technique in the treatment of alopecia and to highlight its relevance compared to other methods. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between November 1998 and April 2006, 18 patients (7 women and 11 men) presenting with one or many cicatricial alopecia areas were treated by skin expansion. The age of patients ranged between 14 and 68 years, with an average of 33 years. The indications were related to burn sequels in 44% of all cases. The average area of alopecia was 167 cm2. This technique combines two operating phases. In the first phase, the expansion balloon is inserted and then gradually filled. In the second phase, it is removed and the alopecic area is covered by the expanded flaps. RESULTS: Thirty-nine expansion prostheses were used, with an average volume of 292 cc. Their number varied between 1 and 6 (two on average) for each patient. The average duration of expansion was 77 days. The tissue gained with this technique allowed the use of 38 flaps. The transposition flaps was the most frequently used (39.4%). The rate of major complications leading to total failure of the process reached 5.5%. The final result was considered good in 90% of the cases. DISCUSSION: The results demonstrate that skin expansion technique is a simple, reliable, and efficient method in the healing of important cicatricial alopecia of scalp. It enables a wider use of the classical local flap technique, by expanding the surface and vascularization allowing for a direct suturing of the donor site. Skin expansion holds an important place in the treatment of significant skin cicatricial alopecia, since it represents the only surgical solution when the alopecia area exceeds 50 cm2.

[Natal teeth: apropos of five cases]. / Dents natales: à propos de cinq cas.

INTRODUCTION: The normal eruption of primary teeth begins with mandibular incisors about the age of 6 months. There are several qualifiers used to describe prematurely erupted teeth. Massler and Savara defined "natal teeth" as teeth present at birth and "neonatal teeth" as teeth erupted within the first month of life. The aim of this study, based on 5 cases, is to present clinical and structural characteristics, etiology, management techniques, complications and a review of the literature for natal teeth. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Our study is a retrospective study of 17,000 infants who were examined in the Neonatal Department of Children Hospital between 1984 and 2001. The material consisted of 5 infants with natal teeth, identified by the pediatrician. We analyzed the family history, the pregnancy history, the gender, the etiology, the complete examination of the infant, the clinical, the structural characteristics, the complications and the management of the teeth. RESULTS: We found 4 boys and 1 girl, 2 of the newborns were premature, all of them observed to have natal teeth. The incidence was 1: 3,400 births. There were 14 natal teeth, 10 incisors (70%) and 4 canines (30%), no molar was found. Nine of the teeth (6 incisors and 3 canines) were maxillary (65%) and 5 (4 incisors and 1 canine) were mandibular (35%). No morphological syndrome was discovered. Most of the teeth were mobile in all directions and were extracted because of the possibility of aspiration, the difficulty in feeding and the ulceration of the ventral surface of the tongue. DISCUSSION: According to the literature, this phenomenon is rare and the incisors are the teeth most commonly involved. Natal teeth are more common than neonatal teeth and nearly 90% of these teeth are the normal primary teeth. The presence of natal teeth is due to several factors related to an unknown cause of disturbed biological chronology. There is no conclusive evidence of a correlation between early eruption and systemic disorders, but some investigators suggest that natal teeth may be associated with certain syndromes. We must keep in mind that radiographic examination is essential for the differential diagnosis between supernumerary and normal primary teeth. The supernumerary teeth should always be extracted but the decision to extract a normal mature natal tooth should be done according to scientific knowledge, mobility of the tooth, local or general complications and parental opinion.

[Orbito-temporal plexiform neurofibroma: 6 cases]. / Le neurofibrome plexiforme orbito-temporal: à propos de 6 cas.

INTRODUCTION: Orbito-temporal plexiform neurofibroma is characteristic of Von Recklinghausen neurofibromatosis. We report 6 cases of orbito-temporal plexiform neurofibromas and review different aspects of diagnosis, course and treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Six patients, 4 males and 2 females, with orbito-temporal plexiform neurofibromas were treated between 1986 and 2003. Patient age varied between 10 and 29 years (age average=19). Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging were performed in all 6 patients. Surgical resection of the neurofibroma was performed in all patients. RESULTS: The tumor was located on the left in 5 cases and on the right in one. Spheno-orbital dysplasia was found in all patients and was associated with fronto-temporal meningoencephalocele and pulsate exophthalmia. Surgical resection enabled reduction of the neurofibroma. Exenteration was performed in all patients because of a nonfunctional eye. Two patients underwent cure of fronto-temporal meningoencephalocelus with reconstruction of the large wing of the sphenoid using an iliac bone graft and a titanium plate. DISCUSSION: Surgery is essential for orbito-temporal plexiform neurofibroma but is usually difficult, particularly when the tumor has developed increasing the risk of hemorrhage. Bony reconstruction is difficult considering the risk of progressive osseous dysplasia. The cosmetic results achieved in this patient were considered good.

[Use of nasolabial flap for mouth floor reconstruction]. / Place du lambeau nasogénien dans les reconstructions du plancher buccal.

SUBJECT: Oral cavity cancers represent 30% of the cephalic extremity tumors. Their resection requires in the majority of the cases a reconstruction by soft tissue. The reconstruction must be simple by bringing some reliable, hairless, thin, resistant tissue to radiation therapy, with a limited morbidity and an acceptable scar ransom. PURPOSE: The purpose of our study is to define the place and the limits of nasolabial flap in the reconstruction of the anterior floor of the mouth after tumoral resection compared to the other surgical and microsurgical techniques. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We retrospectively studied patients with oral cancerous lesions of the anterior floor of the mouth reconstructed by nasolabial flap between 1997 and 2002. The patients benefited from a surgical resection of the tumor by respecting the safety margins, with an immediate reconstruction allowing the restoring of the oral functions. We tried to describe the limits of this flap and discussed its modalities of vascularization. RESULTS: Fifty-three flap procedures were performed on 47 patients; forty-one have received a unilateral and 6 a bilateral nasolabial flap. The majority of tumors were squamous cell carcinomas (50 cases). The average age of patients were 64.8 years (45-78 years) with 40 men (75%) and 13 women (25%). A radical neck lymph nodes dissection with facial artery ligation was realized for 21 patients (15 ipsilateral and 3 bilateral) without affecting the outcome. As complications, we noted one complete necrosis and two partial necrosis of the flap, two postoperative wound complications with dehiscence as well as a massive local recurrence of initial tumor in one patient. CONCLUSION: The nasolabial flap represents a simple functional and morphological option to other pedicled or microsurgically anastomosed flaps for the reconstruction of intermediate-sized mouth floor defects.

[Non-Hodgkin's malignant lymhoma of mental soft tissue: a case report]. / Lymphome malin non hodgkinien (LMNH) des parties molles du menton. A propos d'un cas.

Non-Hodgkin's malignant lymphoma is rarely located in the soft tissue of the chin making diagnosis difficult. Clinical signs are non-specific: progressive weight loss, asthenia, fever, an inflammatory tumefaction unresponsive to medical treatment. Imaging shows a homogeneous tumefaction of the soft tissues. Pathology and immunohistochemistry establish the diagnosis.

[Ameloblastoma of the mandible]. / Notre expérience des améloblastomes de la mandibule.

Ameloblastoma is a benign tumor of the jaws. The mandible is affected more often than the maxilla. Conservative treatment or radical resection may be indicated. We reviewed our experience with 16 cases of ameloblastoma. We concluded that radical resection is more appropriate despite the sequelae.

[A very unusual complication of the extraction of a wisdom tooth]. / Complication très particulière de l'extraction d'une dent de sagesse.

We report here a case of a 42-year-old man who presented a major complication during wisdom tooth extraction. Secondarily after an extraction attempt to tooth migrated into the temporal fossa which required hemi-coronal surgical removal. We present a description of the surgical technique.

[Iatrogenic cervicofacial hydatid cysts. Apropos of a case]. / Hydatidose cervico-faciale iatrogénique. A propos d'un cas.

The writers give an account of a cervicofacial hydatid dissemination case, provoked by iterative ponctions of hydatid cyst initially isolated in the left maxillary sinus. They state diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties sometimes found and they insist on the role that must be played by immunologic tests in diagnostic approach and treatment monitoring of this disease which is unfortunately current and serious.

[Mutilation of the lower lip. Repair using the Karapandjic technic. Apropos of 2 cases]. / Les multilations de la lèvre inférieure. Réparation par la technique de Karapandjic. A propos de 2 cas.

Many processes of repairing concerning the mutilation of the lower lip were described with their advantages and drawbacks. The Karapandjic process which has been described since 1974 is simple to realize, leaving no after-effects provided the loss of the substance is not very important. This process is illustrated regarding two cases.