Reconstruction of the mandible using preshaped 2.3 mm titanium plates, autogenous particulate cortico-cancellous bone grafts and platelet rich plasma: a report on eight patients.

The results are presented of eight patients who had partial mandibulectomies for malignant tumours and were secondarily reconstructed with pre-shaped 2.3 mm titanium plates, autogenous particulate cortico-cancellous bone grafts and platelet rich plasma. Healing was uneventful in all cases and when prosthodontically needed, implants were inserted after approximately 6 months, whilst biopsies were taken. The histology showed bone remodelling in six cases, whilst in one case after 6 months the bone was largely replaced by abundant fibrous tissue. In this case the implants were lost after 9 months. In one case a new carcinoma developed after 6 months with subsequent death of the patient. Thus, in six patients adequate results were achieved with adequate functional and aesthetic outcome, given the poor conditions of the surrounding tissues. This method provides three-dimensional reconstruction with sufficient bone height and volume to facilitate prosthodontic treatment.

Preparation of random donor leukocyte-poor platelets by cytapheresis.

Platelet refractoriness in treatment of multitransfused patients with haematologic malignancies can be delayed or prevented by transfusing leukocyte-poor platelet concentrates. Absence of consensus about the number of residual leukocytes that leads to a delay or prevention of HLA-antibody formation, may be based on a lack of sampling for determination of leukocyte contamination levels in platelet concentrates. From data presented in this study we conclude that if every preparation of platelets is also tested for platelet count, it reduces costs when the pheresis platelets can be split. Transfusion of platelets in patients can also be better evaluated.