title: Poly(L-lactide) bone plates and screws for internal fixation of mandibular swing osteotomies.
abstract: This study evaluated bone healing after mandibular swing osteotomies fixed with biodegradable poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) bone plates in four patients. A step osteotomy treated with two PLLA bone plates (n=3), and a straight osteotomy treated with one PLLA bone plate (n=1) were performed. Bone healing was uneventful in all patients; only in the patient with the straight osteotomy was callus observed. After 5.5 years, radiologic changes at the site of implantation were observed in the remaining patient. Histologic examination revealed a nonspecific foreign-body reaction on highly crystalline PLLA remnants which were still present. It is concluded that the PLLA bone plates provided enough strength to enable undisturbed bone healing. The long-term degradation results are comparable with those of other studies on as-polymerized PLLA implants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tams
authors.forename: F R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Rozema
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Bos
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Roodenburg
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Nikkels
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vermey
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D001860:Bone Plates; D001863:Bone Screws; D002146:Bony Callus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D003460:Crystallization; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005549:Foreign-Body Reaction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D016268:Internal Fixators; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry; D011859:Radiography; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D011091:Polyesters; C033616:poly(lactide)