Immediate reconstruction of mandibular defect after treatment of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) with rhBMP-2/ACS and miniplate: Review of 3 cases.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to pursue, and to report the results of, mandibular reconstruction and rehabilitation of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) patients having large critical-sized defects of the mandible using a combination of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) and absorbable collagen sponge (ACS) with surgical miniplate without any grafting materials. CASE PRESENTATION: Three (3) patients aged 67 and 86 (2 patients) presented due to discomfort on the mandible. They all had a medical history of bisphosphonate and steroids treatment orally or intravenously, and all had been diagnosed as MRONJ stage 3. Sequestrectomy and saucerization were performed, and then a surgical miniplate (Hansolmedical, Korea) was adapted and fixed on the sound portion of the mandible. rhBMP-2 was loaded onto an ACS at a dose of 1.5 mg/cc. Several rhBMP-2 (Cowellmedi, Korea)/ACS (Ateloplug, TRMkorea, Korea) were placed into the bony defect with a surgical miniplate. All 3 patients recovered without complications. They all exhibited radiographic evidence of bone formation by 3 months postoperatively in every case. CONCLUSIONS: All 3 patients were treated successfully with rhBMP-2/ACS and miniplate without any complications. This protocol reported herein represents a new approach to the surgical treatment of maxillofacial bone defects and deficiencies, especially in MRONJ patients.

Dielectric properties of novel polyurethane/silica nanowire composites.

An aliphatic isocyanate, polyether, polyol thermoplastic polyurethane, Tecoflex SG-85A, was solution processed with the varying amounts of silica nanowire. The dielectric permittivity (epsilon') and loss factor (epsilon") were measured via Dielectric Analysis (DEA) in the frequency range 1 Hz to 100 kHz and between the temperature -150 to 150 degrees C. The electric modulus formalism was used to reveal alpha, beta and conductivity relaxations. The activation energies for the relaxations are presented. Nanocomposites were also characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to determine glass transition temperatures. The onset of decomposition temperature was measured by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) provided images of the polymer-nanocomposites.