Telemedicine in oral surgery and maxillofacial trauma: a descriptive account.

Trauma patients presenting to emergency rooms (ER) in rural or remote locations have significantly less access to oral and maxillo-facial surgery (OMFS) specialists. In this case, OMFS services at four hospitals were rearranged to concentrate expertise, inpatients, and 24/7 cover on a single site. A Federation (managed clinical network) model was used that improved the management of inpatients and made better use of a small team of junior medical staff. New government standards limiting the on-call burden for U.K. junior doctors (The New deal) were met under this service model. Despite the success of the Federation, the loss of on-site OMFS support to the three peripheral ER departments was problematic. Sites that do not have OMFS support used a simple telephone referral to transfer patients to the OMFS center. The degree to which referrals were considered inappropriate led to operational and patient satisfaction difficulties. The introduction of an OMFS telemedicine system linking the three peripheral/"spoke" ER departments to the OMFS center/"hub" succeeded in increasing the appropriateness of patient transfers, developed the skills of the ER medical staff, and was believed to have led to an overall improvement in the early-stage management of this group of patients. The telemedicine system augmented the overall success of the Federation model. New uses for telemedicine within the OMFS service soon developed.

Accuracy of diagnosis of fractures by maxillofacial and accident and emergency doctors using plain radiography compared with a telemedicine system: a prospective study.

Ten facial radiographs with fractures and 10 without fractures were viewed by eight oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) and eight accident and emergency (A&E) doctors who were each asked questions about the presence and site of any fractures as well as the quality of the images and diagnostic confidence. Each radiograph was then transmitted over a teleradiology link and viewed by the same OMFS doctors who answered the same questions. The position of the fracture was more accurately assessed using plain radiography. Diagnosis by OMFS doctors using telemedicine was broadly comparable with fracture diagnosis by A&E doctors using plain radiography. Poor quality radiographs and frontozygomatic and infraorbital rim fractures were poorly diagnosed by telemedicine. This telemedicine system was a useful tool to aid diagnosis of most facial fractures. The need for appropriate clinical information is vital. Diagnosis of frontozygomatic and infraorbital rim disruption using telemedicine is less reliable than plain radiography.

Improved resuscitation training of senior house officers in oral and maxillofacial surgery.

All healthcare professionals are expected to be competent at cardiopulmonary resuscitation. In a previous study [Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg 1999; 37: 1], senior house officers in oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) expressed dissatisfaction about their training in resuscitation, and we now report the results of a follow-up survey. The amount of training in resuscitation has increased in the 5 years since the initial questionnaire, and 77% of the 73 respondents (n=56) been given such training in the 12 months before the present survey, compared to 48% in the previous study. Fifty-one (70%) now think that they would feel confident if required to resuscitate a patient who had a cardiorespiratory arrest, and this has increased from 47%. Despite this, 70 (96%) of senior house officers in OMFS stated that they wanted further training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Intranasal midazolam as an alternative to general anaesthesia in the management of children with oral and maxillofacial trauma.

The study assessed the dosage, clinical sedative effect, and safety of intranasal midazolam in 32 children. Data were complete for 29 patients (21 with lacerations and 8 cases of dental trauma). Sedation was adequate to ensure successful completion of treatment under local with or without topical anaesthetic in 22 of the 29 cases (76%). They became sedated at a mean (SD) of 14 (5) minutes, with completion of treatment at 20 (13) minutes. Sedation was achieved with a mean (SD) of 5 (2)mg of midazolam. There were no signs of respiratory depression or of oxygen desaturation below 94% on pulse oximetry. No supplemental oxygen was required and there were no other complications. We conclude that intranasal midazolam is a safe and effective alternative to general anaesthesia in the definitive treatment of children with oral and maxillofacial injuries.

Impact of dedicated trauma lists on a maxillofacial surgical service.

In 1995, the maxillofacial surgical inpatient services in East Lancashire were centralized in Blackburn Royal Infirmary, and twice-weekly operating lists dedicated to maxillofacial trauma were established. We examined the non-elective workload for three-month periods before and after trauma lists became available to find out the proportion of non-elective operations done out of normal working hours. Although there was an increase in the total number of non-elective patients after centralization, day-time trauma lists allowed a reduction in the proportion of operations performed out of normal working hours. Fewer trauma cases were added to elective lists. Trauma lists allow the unit to comply with the recommendations of both NCEPOD and the Calman report, in that they maximize training opportunities for all staff and facilitate both audit and research.

The role of second-intention healing in periocular reconstruction.

Second-intention healing is a time-honored method of wound management. Its role in periocular reconstruction, however, is currently controversial. The objectives of this thesis are threefold: to evaluate carefully the outcomes in a cohort of patients treated by this technique, to provide a comprehensive review of published reports, and to formulate recommendations and guidelines for appropriate application in selected patients. Eyelid and periorbital defects after excision of periocular tumors were allowed to heal by second intention in 59 patients. The locations of the wounds were the medial canthus (n = 32), lower eyelid (n = 20), upper eyelid, (n = 4), glabella (n = 2), and nasojugal fold (n = 1). Five excised areas involved the eyelid margin, and in three patients the defect included the canalicular system. The size of the defects ranged from 3 x 3 mm to 22 x 27 mm. The average duration of follow-up was 19 months (range, 6 months to 8 years). The functional and cosmetic results were satisfactory in 49 patients (83%). Complications occurred in 10 patients and included ectropion, medial canthal webbing, trichiasis, eyelid notching, and hypertrophic scarring. Only two patients, however, required secondary repair. Healing by second intention is a safe, effective, and inexpensive alternative to surgical reconstruction after tumor excision in selected patients.

Who decides on the need for antibiotic prophylaxis in patients with major arthroplasties requiring dental treatment: is it a joint responsibility?

The role of antibiotic prophylaxis in patients with prosthetic joints who require dental treatment is controversial. A Working Party of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (BSAC) recently suggested that there was no evidence to support the use of antibiotic prophylaxis in these patients. The purpose of this study was to determine how closely these recommendations were being followed by maxillofacial surgeons (MFS), and to see if there was any consensus on the management of these patients between MFS and orthopaedic surgeons (OPS). With the aid of a postal questionnaire, the opinions of 250 consultant MFS and OPS were sought, response rates were 148 (59.2%) and 113 (41.2%), respectively. Of the OPS, 77.7% always recommended the use of antibiotic prophylaxis as opposed to only 29% of MFS. There were also wide differences in opinion with regard to the antibiotic that should be used in these patients, with the majority of OPS suggesting a cephalosporin, although this may not be the most efficacious antibiotic for oral streptococci. We conclude that this important matter seems to be far from satisfactorily resolved and that further cooperation between the specialties is required to produce guidelines for the safe and effective management of this increasing group of patients.

Results of levator-advancement blepharoptosis repair using a standard protocol: effect of epinephrine-induced eyelid position change.

PURPOSE: Blepharoptosis repair by levator advancement is successful in most instances, but the postoperative eyelid level is not uniformly predictable. This study was undertaken to evaluate the possible effect of epinephrine (from local anesthetic) on eyelid position. METHODS: Seventeen adults with acquired unilateral ptosis as a result of levator aponeurosis dehiscence underwent levator aponeurosis advancement. The distance between the upper eyelid margin and the central corneal light reflex was measured preoperatively with the patient in both the upright and the supine position, 10 minutes after injection of 1.0 mL of anesthetic solution (2% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine and 12 U hyaluronidase per mL) in the supine position, intraoperatively after skin closure in the supine position, and 1 week or more postoperatively in the upright position. The ptotic lid was positioned intraoperatively in relation to the contralateral unoperated lid according to the change (presumably) induced by epinephrine stimulation of Müller's muscle. RESULTS: Eleven (65%) of the 17 patients had final postoperative lid positions within 1 mm between eyes. Two patients (12%) had undercorrection. Four patients (24%) had overcorrection by > 1 mm. The overcorrected lids were satisfactorily positioned, however, and none required further surgery; in 3 of these 4 patients, the unoperated lid had become ptotic, probably as a result of Hering's law. Differences between operated and unoperated lids and between the different times of measurement were analyzed. Significant changes in lid position occurred in the ptotic lids after injection (mean, +1.1 +/- 1.5 mm; median, +1.0 mm; P = .004) and in the final intraoperative difference between operated and unoperated lids (mean, +0.8 +/- 0.9 mm; median, +1.0 mm; P = .003). The change in the unoperated lid from preoperative upright to preoperative supine was significantly greater in the 6 failures (mean, -0.8 +/- 0.6 mm; median, -1.0 mm) than in the 11 successful outcomes (mean, +0.1 +/- 0.8 mm; median, 0.0 mm; P = .03). The change in unoperated lid position after injection of the ptotic lid was significantly greater in the failures (mean, +0.4 +/- 0.5 mm; median, +0.3 mm) than in the successful cases (mean, -0.2 +/- 0.4 mm; median, 0.0 mm; P = .02). CONCLUSION: Although it seems intuitively reasonable and clinically appropriate to account for the stimulatory effect of epinephrine during ptosis surgery, such intraoperative compensation alone did not yield a universally successful outcome in this study.

Thromboembolic disease and thromboprophylaxis in oral and maxillofacial surgery: experience and practice.

OBJECTIVE: (i) To determine the incidence of thromboembolic disease (TED) in major maxillofacial surgery and in particular deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). (ii) To determine current thromboprophylactic practice in the specialty. DESIGN: Retrospective survey by questionnaire of five year experience and current practice in UK maxillofacial surgical units. SUBJECTS: The patients of 130 consultants carrying out major maxillofacial surgery. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: (i) The number of cases of fatal and non-fatal PE and the number of diagnosed cases of DVT not progressing to PE. (ii) The frequency of use of mechanical and pharmacological thromboprophylactic measures. RESULTS: (i) There was a 79% return of questionnaires and from these were reported 60 cases of PE of which 14 were fatal with 64 cases of DVT not progressing to PE. Of the PE group almost 60% followed operations for orocervical malignancy while 25% were related to maxillofacial trauma. 64% of respondents had encountered no episodes of perioperative DVT and 68% no cases of PE. (ii) Mechanical thromboprophylactic measures included the use by 76% of respondents of a graduated compression garment, ripple mattress by 47% and intermittent inter-operative calf pressure by 38.5%. Of pharmacological agents 45% used low dose heparin, 14.5% a dextran infusion and 6% an antiplatelet agent. 58.3% gave advice about smoking and 37.5% recommended temporary discontinuation of the contraceptive pill. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of DVT and PE in major maxillofacial surgery is low. Nevertheless it is recommended that there is rigid compliance with the recommendations for surgery in general from the thromboembolic risk factors consensus group (THRIFT) and from similar groups in Europe and the USA.

Electromyographic studies of the reconstructed lower eyelid after a modified Hughes procedure.

PURPOSE: We evaluated quantitatively, with electromyography, the function of orbicularis oculi muscle flaps in modified Hughes reconstructions of the lower eyelids. METHODS: A modified Hughes procedure with a bipedicle orbicularis oculi flap was used to reconstruct large left lower eyelid defects after tumor excision in six consecutive patients. Standard needle electromyography and facial nerve conduction studies were performed on each reconstructed lower eyelid, and results were compared with those of the unoperated-on right lower eyelid. Electromyographic studies were performed between 143 and 517 days after division of the tarsoconjunctival flap. RESULTS: Blink reflexes and results of facial nerve studies were normal and similar on both sides. All operated-on eyelids demonstrated electromyographic activity during voluntary orbicularis contraction. The functional and cosmetic results were satisfactory in all patients. No complications of reconstruction, such as eyelid retraction, ectropion, tissue necrosis, or abnormal contour or thickness, occurred. CONCLUSIONS: A modified Hughes procedure using a bipedicle orbicularis oculi flap provides viable, electrically active muscle to the reconstructed lower eyelid and may enhance the functional results.

The percutaneous dilatational subcricoid tracheostomy.

Tracheostomy is frequently required during maxillofacial procedures. The percutaneous technique is described and advocated as a rapid easily mastered procedure, although there is a definite learning curve and it is not without a potential for complications.