Facial translocation approach to the skull base: the viability of translocated facial bone graft.
OBJECTIVE
A retrospective review of 56 patients who were operated through a facial translocation approach was carried out to assess the viability of the translocated facial bone segment.


METHODS
Eleven patients had preoperative radiotherapy, and 26 had postoperative radiotherapy. In 14 patients the translocated bone segment was kept attached to the anterior cheek, and in 42 patients the bone segment was detached and then implanted. A vascularized flap was used to obliterate the defect in the paranasal sinuses in 15 patients.


RESULTS
Twelve (21.4%) patients had devitalized bone segment and required sequestrectomy. The incidence of devitalized bone segment was higher in the patients who received postoperative radiotherapy (P = 0.04) and lower in the patients in whom the defect in the paranasal sinuses was reconstructed with a vascularized flap (P = 0.006).


CONCLUSIONS
The translocated facial bone segment should be kept attached to the cheek soft tissue when possible, or the defect in the paranasal sinuses should be reconstructed with a vascularized flap.
Department of Otolaryngology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
S P
SP
Hao
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009336:Necrosis; D010255:Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019292:Skull Base Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology; D013703:Temporal Muscle / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation