title: Reconstruction of mandibular defects in irradiated patients.
abstract: In this prospective study, mandibular reconstruction using titanium plates was evaluated in 31 patients treated between July 1988 and January 1990. Sixteen patients had prior surgery; 13 had prior radiotherapy. In 11 patients, prior radiation and surgery had failed. Sixteen patients received postoperative radiotherapy either in standard or accelerated fractions. Twelve patients had complications of either intraoral (8), extraoral (5), or combined (1) plate exposure or fistula formation (2). Factors significantly related to complications were poor nutrition, accelerated radiation, and recurrence. Sixty-one percent of all patients healed uneventfully. When patients with complications secondary to recurrence who subsequently died were excluded, the success rate was 73%. Only one patient had an unacceptable result that produced a cosmetic and functional deformity despite secondary repair.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of South Florida, Tampa.
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Klotch
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gump
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kuhn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001860:Bone Plates; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008334:Mandible / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000601:surgery*; D008336:Mandibular Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D008339:Mandibular Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010025:Osteoradionecrosis / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012086:Reoperation; D012307:Risk Factors