Interpersonal Violence and Maxillofacial Fractures.

PURPOSE: Accident Compensation Corporation statistics shows that maxillofacial fracture affects 11,000 people with an approximate $90 million annual cost in New Zealand dollars (NZD). Previous studies have demonstrated interpersonal violence (IPV), road traffic accidents (RTAs), sports injury, and falls being the common causes of maxillofacial fracture. This study investigated the causes and associated alcohol and/or drug use and fracture patterns in patients presenting with maxillofacial fractures in the Wellington region. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Demographic data of the patients, the cause of maxillofacial fracture and associated alcohol and/or drug use, and the fracture patterns were culled from our prospective maxillofacial fracture database at Hutt Hospital for a 5-year period from January 01, 2013, to December 31, 2017 and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 1535 patients were referred with maxillofacial fractures during the study. 38% of the maxillofacial fractures were caused by IPV, followed by sports injury (24%), falls (24%), and RTA (6%), with 33.4% associated with alcohol and/or drug use. Males were six times more likely to present with IPV-related maxillofacial fractures, compared to females. The 16-30-year age group was the most prevalent in the IPV group with NZ Maori attributing to significantly more maxillofacial fractures compared to NZ European, 54.6% vs. 32.0% (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: IPV, especially involving alcohol and/or drug use, is the most common cause of maxillofacial fractures in the Wellington region, especially in NZ Maori males aged 16-30 years. Public health strategies are needed to decrease IPV as a cause of maxillofacial fractures.

Outcomes of the treatment of head and neck sarcomas in a tertiary referral center.

Head and neck sarcomas are a rare and heterogeneous group of tumors that pose management challenges. We report our experience with these tumors. Forty consecutive patients treated for 44 head and neck sarcomas between 1997 and 2014 were culled from our prospectively maintained head and neck database. Five patients were excluded. The adult cohort consisted 29 (83%) patients of a mean age of 57.7 years, with 33 sarcomas. The most common diagnoses were undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (27%) and chondroblastic osteosarcoma (21%). Clear surgical margins were achieved in 24/33 (73%) lesions. Twenty-two patients received radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. Fourteen patients developed local (n = 6), regional (n = 1) and distant (n = 7) recurrence. The overall 5-year survival was 66% with a mean survival interval of 66.5 months. Recurrent sarcoma, close (<1 mm) or involved surgical margins and advanced age were associated with statistically significantly reduced survival. The pediatric cohort consisted 6 (17%) patients, with a mean age of 9 years. Five patients had primary embryonal rhabdomyosarcomas and one had chondroblastic osteosarcoma. Clear surgical margins were achieved in five (83%) patients. All patients received adjuvant radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. Mean survival interval was 102 months. Three patients developed local (n = 1) or distant (n = 2) recurrence. Twenty-three free and 8 pedicled flaps were performed in 25 patients. Eleven out of thirty-nine (28%) lesions in 11 patients developed a complication. In conclusion, head and neck sarcomas are best managed by a multidisciplinary team at a tertiary head and neck referral center and resection with clear margins is vital for disease control.

Gold weight implantation and lateral tarsorrhaphy for upper eyelid paralysis.

BACKGROUND: Upper eyelid paralysis leads to lagophthalmos with the risk of exposure keratitis, corneal ulceration and blindness. METHODS: Consecutive patients undergoing gold weight implantation and/or lateral tarsorrhaphy were identified from our prospective database and reviewed. RESULTS: Sixty-three patients were identified, 36 of whom underwent immediate reanimation procedure either during cancer excision (n = 35) or repair of facial laceration (n = 1). Twenty-seven patients had a delayed procedure either following tumour excision (n = 21) or unresolved Bell's palsy (n = 3), or facial palsy due to complex craniofacial fracture (n = 3). Nine patients required revision to achieve optimal weight. Fifty-two patients had full eye closure. The remaining 11 patients had almost complete eye closure. CONCLUSIONS: Facial paralysis is devastating for the patient and immediate facial reanimation should be performed. We have demonstrated that gold weight implantation and lateral tarsorrhaphy are simple and effective in achieving eye closure.

Early oral intake after reconstruction with a free flap for cancer of the oral cavity.

To allow healing of the surgical wound patients are traditionally given nothing by mouth for 6-12 days after resection and reconstruction of a cancer of the oral cavity. Our aim was to assess the impact of introducing oral intake within 6 days postoperatively. Consecutive patients who had resection and reconstruction of a cancer of the oral cavity with a free flap within an 8-year period were selected from the head and neck database. Personal and social data; type, stage, and site of the tumour; type of resection and free flap; postoperative complications; and duration of hospital stay were recorded, supplemented by review of casenotes for the time that oral intake was started, duration of nasogastric and tracheostomy intubation, and changes in body weight. Patients in the early oral intake group started oral intake within 5 days postoperatively, and those in the late group began feeding from postoperative day 6. The duration of hospital stay in the early group was significantly shorter than that in the late group. There was, however, no difference in the morbidity, including orocutaneous fistula, between the two groups. The duration of nasogastric and tracheostomy intubation was shorter, and weight loss was less, in the early group than in the late group, but not significantly so. Early oral feeding does not increase the morbidity for patients having resection and reconstruction with free flaps for cancers of the oral cavity. Early oral intake is associated with a shorter hospital stay, and this may have implications for improved postoperative outcome.

[Squamous cell carcinoma of the palm: a case report]. / Avuç içinde yassi epitel hücreli karsinom: Olgu sunumu.

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) arising from the palm skin is very rare, having a very aggressive course and poor outcome. A 74-year-old male patient presented with a painful and rapidly growing nodular lesion, 20 mm in size, in the distal part of the right palm. He received antibiotic treatment at another center with the thought of an infection, and then with oral corticosteroids with an estimation of a granuloma. The patient underwent a wide excision with an initial diagnosis of skin cancer, followed by full-thickness skin grafting. Histopathologic examination showed moderately differentiated SCC extending to the deep subcutaneous tissue and positivity in deep surgical margins. Subsequent surgery included ray amputation involving index and middle fingers. However, recurrent skin lesions appeared in the dorsum of the hand together with enlarged lymph nodes in the epitrochlear and medial axillary regions. Following a wide surgical removal of the lesions, metastases were detected in epitrochlear and axillary lymph nodes and in fatty subcutaneous tissue. A month later, new lesions developed in the dorsum of the hand, which required another surgical excision. However, new epitrochlear lymph nodes and multifocal lesions in the right axillary region emerged. This time, radical radiotherapy was administered. In a short time, cutaneous and subcutaneous metastases in the thoracic wall and widespread lung metastases were detected. The patient died from pulmonary complications 10 months after presentation.

Deep plane cervicofacial flap: a useful and versatile technique in head and neck surgery.

BACKGROUND: Large oncosurgical defects of the cheek present a challenging reconstructive problem, especially when skin resections are combined with other procedures such as parotidectomy and/or neck dissection. METHODS: We present our experience with the deep plane cervicofacial flap (DPCFF) for reconstructing zone 1 (n=7), zone 2 (n=6), and zone 3 (n=5) cheek defects resulting from excision of primary cutaneous malignancies (n=13) and metastatic parotid (n=6) and/or neck (n=4) disease with skin involvement. The patients were between 65 and 88 years of age (mean, 76.7 years). The design of the flap was determined by the location of the defect and the need for simultaneous parotidectomy and/or neck dissection. Sixteen flaps were anteriorly based, whereas two were posteriorly based. RESULTS: Twelve patients underwent simultaneous parotidectomy (n=11) and/or neck dissection (n=10) and/or facial reanimation procedures (n=6). The size of the cutaneous defects ranged from 4 x 4 to 10 x 10 (mean, 5.6 x 5.3) cm. Eight patients received postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy to the primary site and/or parotid bed and neck. Superficial marginal flap necrosis occurred in one of the three patients who received definitive radiotherapy before salvage surgery and repair with DPCFF. Other complications included one hematoma, one ectropion, and one retraction of the lower eyelid. Apart from mild facial contour deficiency in two patients, excellent functional and cosmetic outcome with good skin color and texture match were achieved in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: The DPCFF is a versatile reconstructive technique in head and neck surgery. It provides a simple solution for a variety of cheek defects as an excellent alternative to regional or free tissue transfer. It can be used when simultaneous parotidectomy and/or neck dissection and/or facial reanimation procedures are required. This composite musculo-fascio-cutaneous unit is reliable with excellent vascularity, because it has an axial blood supply. Division of the facial suspensory ligaments during elevation of the flap in the sub-superficial musculo-aponeurotic system (SMAS) plane increases the mobility of this flap, which facilitates transfer.

A case of giant nasal pyogenic granuloma gravidarum.

Pyogenic granuloma gravidarum occurs as oral or nasal lesions in approximately 5% of pregnant women. Nasal mucosa is an unusual site for this lesion with few cases reported in the literature. A case of giant nasal pyogenic granuloma gravidarum that required radical excision through an open rhinotomy after superselective embolization is described. The patient had a good cosmetic result and a satisfactory airway when she was seen for follow-up 1 year after surgery. Giant pyogenic granuloma gravidarum is best managed with a multidisciplinary approach involving radical excision after preoperative superselective embolization for safe and complete removal of the lesion.

Necrotising fasciitis and cellulitis after traditional Samoan tattooing: case reports.

Traditional Samoan tattooing, ta tatau, is a vital part of Samoan culture. It is being performed with greater frequency on New Zealand resident Samoans. Unfortunately, ta tatau has recently been the causal factor in two significant infectious cases, in one of which death resulted. The two cases were clinically reviewed. An investigation into the history and practice of ta tatau was made in an attempt to identify causal factors that could be addressed. The two cases had similar causal themes. These included improper sanitary techniques, ta tatau being performed in unlicensed premises by temporary tattooists, patients that were unwilling to access medical services due to the expectations of tradition, lack of follow-up and lack of infection advice by the tattooist. Life threatening infectious complications has not previously been described for traditional Samoan tattooing. Improper sanitary conditions in combination with late presentation to medical services have been suggested as the cause of these cases. The technique, tools, culture and trends are discussed and recommendations are made for reducing infectious complications.

Cleft palate repair in spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita: minimizing the risk of cervical cord compression.

OBJECTIVE: Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita (SEDC) is a rare, inheritable condition that can include dwarfism, cleft palate, and C(1-2) instability. When repairing a cleft palate in a patient with SEDC, there is a significant risk of cord compression at the C(1-2) level because of neck hyperextension required for the operation. This reports presents a patient with SEDC who underwent surgery for a cleft palate, using a Ferno vacuum splint to immobilize the spine. INTERVENTION: The patient underwent general anesthesia. Good access was gained to the palate, and it was repaired without any complications. Particular attention was paid to maintaining the neck in a neutral position. CONCLUSIONS: The described technique provides the patient with the safest possible situation during anesthesia for cleft palate repair.