title: Rigid internal fixation of the jaws in an adult patient with facio-scapulo-humeral muscular dystrophy: report of a case.
abstract: This study shows the advantages of rigid internal fixation in the surgical management of a facial deformity in a 29-year-old patient with facio-scapulo-humeral dystrophy (FSHD). After presurgical orthodontic treatment, surgery consisted of a Le Fort I maxillary osteotomy, with 5 mm of anterior movement, and fixation with miniplates. After mandibular sagittal split set-back osteotomy, internal fixation was applied on each side using two bicortical screws; no postoperative intermaxillary fixation was utilized. At the 2-year follow-up, the patient was satisfied with the surgical results; lip competence and occlusion were good. The advantages of using internal rigid fixation are: immediate osseous stability which does not require intermaxillary fixation, improved perioperative airway management (no preoperative tracheostomy) and earlier functional recovery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, Ospedale Bellaria, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marchetti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Merlini
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tonelli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001860:Bone Plates; D001863:Bone Screws; D005152:Facial Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006811:Humerus; D019248:Jaw Fixation Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008046:Lip / Q000502:physiology; D008313:Malocclusion, Angle Class III / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D008334:Mandible / Q000601:surgery; D008437:Maxilla / Q000601:surgery; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009136:Muscular Dystrophies / Q000601:surgery*; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000379:methods; D019340:Osteotomy, Le Fort; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012540:Scapula; D014087:Tooth Movement Techniques; D016896:Treatment Outcome