Maxillofacial surgery in wartime Middle-East: Paul Tessier's missions to Iran.

The Iraq-Iran war (1980-88) resulted in numerous maxillofacial injuries. More than 400,000 people were wounded and required specialist care. Paul Tessier, a leading French plastic surgeon and pioneering craniofacial surgeon, was involved in several missions to Iran and operated on a vast cohort of patients with complex war trauma sequelae. Our study included 322 files relating to patients with war injuries operated on by Paul Tessier in Iran from 1990 to 1993. The files were the property of the Association Française des Chirurgiens de la Face. Relevant epidemiological parameters and data on surgical indications and procedures were collected. Descriptive statistics were used in order to characterize the cohort, and a multivariate logistic model was developed in order to assess factors associated with severe eye injuries within all facial injuries. Age range at admission was 5-67 years (average: 27.15 ± 6.97). The most common trauma mechanisms were shell fragments (161 patients; 50 %) and bullets (27 patients; 8.38 %). The bone and orbital contents in the upper third of the face were affected in 124 patients (38.50%); 72 patients (22.36%) had trauma of the middle third of the face; and 86 patients (26.71%) had trauma of the lower third. A total of 175 bone grafts were harvested by Tessier: 72 (41.14%) iliac grafts and 94 (53.71%) frontal and/or parietal grafts. Tessier managed 60 orbital fractures (18.63%) and 95 patients with uni- or bilateral enucleations (29.50%). A multivariate logistic model showed that patients injured by shells were 4.04 (1.32; 17.60) more likely (p = 0.03) than patients with gunshot wounds to have had uni- or bilateral enucleation, regardless of age and gender. Tessier's files provide first-hand information on the injury patterns that resulted from a regional war in the 1980s, and on the reconstruction challenges faced by a country during its post-war recovery period.

Full-Mouth Rehabilitation with Calvarium Bone Grafts and Dental Implants for a Papillon-Lefèvre Syndrome Patient: Case Report.

Papillon-Lefèvre syndrome (PLS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder of keratinization associated with palmoplantar keratoderma and severe periodontitis resulting in complete edentulism in late adolescence. The pathognomonic dental features of PLS are pathologic migration, hypermobility, and exfoliation of the teeth without any signs of root resorption. It has been suggested that an effective way to treat PLS patients presenting early in the disease progression is extraction of the erupted primary dentition or hopeless permanent teeth followed by antibiotic coverage with periodontal therapy for the remaining teeth. Unfortunately, studies have shown that this regimen only temporarily delays the progression of periodontal disease and does not prevent further tooth loss and bone destruction in the long term. Post-tooth loss, atrophic ridges make conventional prosthodontic rehabilitation quite challenging, and more recently, implant-supported prostheses have been considered as a viable alternative. In a PLS patient, implant placement is complicated by inadequate bone volume; thus, bone augmentation techniques or the use of short implants is often considered. When large volumes of bone are required, parietal calvarium bone can be used to predictably reconstruct severe defects. A PLS patient aged 21 years presented a chief complaint of ill-fitting conventional complete dentures. The patient had severely atrophic ridges, requiring significant bone augmentation for an implant-supported prosthesis. The present case is the first example of bone augmentation using autogenous calvarium parietal graft followed by endosseous implant placement and prosthetic restoration in a PLS patient.

Lower jaw reconstruction and dental rehabilitation after war injuries: The experience of Paul Tessier in Iran in the late 1980s.

Iraq-Iran war resulted in more than 400,000 people requiring prolonged medical care in Iran. An international team of prominent reconstructive surgeons led by Paul Tessier, the founder of craniofacial surgery, was invited to Iran during the war by official organizations entitled to support war victims. This team provided up-to-date oral and maxillofacial rehabilitation to patients with severe trauma defects in the lower third of the face. We collected the medical notes of 43 patients operated on by the Tessier team in Iran in the 1980s (files property of AFCF). The parameters we collected were: age of the patient, nature of the trauma (when available), previous procedures, number of implants placed (mandibular and maxillary), associated procedures (bone grafts, soft-tissue procedures, orthognathic surgery). A protocol based on soft-tissue rehabilitation using local flaps, parietal or iliac bone grafts and implant placement 6 months later was used in all patients. Paul Tessier's approach emphasizes the importance of keeping high standards of care in difficult situations and maintaining standard protocols.

Dental sequellae of alveolar clefts: utility of endosseous implants. Part II: clinical cases.

This second part follows on from part 1 published in the previous issue of this journal. The aim of this publication is to offer teams specializing in the primary and secondary treatment of labio-alveolar-palatal clefts a prosthetic evaluation for more rational management of the dental sequellae of clefts for patients who, when they reach adulthood, often wish to improve their facial esthetics, in which the dental element plays an important part. The reorganization and restoration of the maxillary anterior teeth and their esthetic integration with respect to the face and lips would then be less of a problem for plastic surgeons and orthodontists. In this regard, the installation in this sector of implants, following ambitious bone surgery involving the sacrifice of the teeth of the medial nasal process in bilateral forms, is a protocol that could usefully be taken into account.

Dental sequellae of alveolar clefts: utility of endosseous implants. Part I: therapeutic protocols.

The aim of this publication is to offer teams specializing in the primary and secondary treatment of labio-alveolar-palatal clefts a prosthetic evaluation for more rational management of the dental sequellae of clefts for patients who, when they reach adulthood, often wish to improve their facial esthetics, in which the dental element plays a significant part. The reorganization and restoration of the upper anterior teeth, and their esthetic integration with respect to the face and lips, would then be less of a problem for plastic surgeons or orthodontists. In this respect, the installation in this sector of implants, following ambitious bone surgery involving the sacrifice, in bilateral forms, of the teeth of the medial process is a protocol that could usefully be taken into account.

Structure and remodelling of the human parietal bone: an age and gender histomorphometric study.

OBJECTIVE: Despite its clinical usefulness, the internal structure and remodelling of parietal bone remained poorly documented. The aim of this study was to gain reliable information on parietal bone remodelling in living humans. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study provided a site-specific analysis of static indices of turnover in relation to gender and age by using leftovers of parietal bone sampled in 100 patients (78 females; 22 males, aged 16-79 years). RESULTS: The bone architecture, cortical thickness, trabecular volume and cortical volume (C.Th, BV/TV, BV/CV) did not vary with gender. The number of osteoclasts (N.Oc/BPm) and the resorption surface (Oc.S/BS) were higher in females (p<0.05) when osteoclast resorbing activity did not vary with gender. Bone formation, osteoid surface (OS/BS) and surface covered by alkaline phosphatase-positive osteogenic cells (ALPS/BS) were higher in females (p<0.05 and p<0.01 respectively). All these parameters remained stable with aging. The osteocytic parameters, number of osteocytes (Ot.N/B.Ar) and number of osteocyte lacunae (T.L.N/B.Ar) were higher in females (p<0.05) and decreased with age in both genders (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: This study highlights the low and stable remodelling in the parietal bone. It appears to be higher in women. This stability probably reflects the low mechanical strains applied to the skull, particularly to the parietal bone.

Parietal bone as graft material for maxillary sinus floor elevation: structure and remodeling of the donor and of recipient sites.

Particulate parietal bone is used for maxillary sinus floor elevation procedure prior to dental implant placement. However, data on internal structure of the parietal bone and on graft remodeling and incorporation in the host bone are limited. We determined the structure and remodeling activities of 24 parietal bone specimens sampled at time of sinus grafting (T1 samples), and the amount and turnover of bone formed at the recipient site at time of implant placement (T2 samples, obtained 10 months after T1 samples, on average). In T1 samples, the outer cortex was 1.16+/-0.45 mm thick, had a typical haversian structure, and showed a low level of remodeling. In the cancellous portion of the samples, trabecular bone volume represented 52.8+/-10.3%. Bone remodeling was more active in the cancellous portion than in the cortical portion, but few osteoblasts and osteoclasts were seen. T2 samples consisted solely of trabecular bone, which occupied 49.4+/-18.4% of total sample volume. The boundary between new bone and the recipient bed was not discernible. Remnants of the graft particles were embedded within new bone, and showed signs of intense resorption. Bone remodeling was highly active, as shown by the presence of numerous osteoclasts resorbing new bone, together with thick osteoid seams and large osteoblasts. A loose cotton-like mineralized material was frequently observed in the marrow spaces; this acellular and non-collagenous material was strongly stained by toluidine blue, suggesting a glycoprotein nature. This study offers insights into cortical and trabecular bone structure and shows the low-level remodeling activity of parietal bone. About 10 months after grafting, the grafted chips were incorporated in new bone and almost completely resorbed. This high turnover may be beneficial for implant placement.