Fracture of mandibular reconstruction plates used after tumor resection.
OBJECTIVE
We assessed the incidence of fractured plates after primary temporary AO plate reconstruction of the mandible following tumor resection.


METHODS
One hundred ten patients were retrospectively evaluated according to the extent of the tumor, anatomic location of the reconstruction, type of plate, additional use of radiotherapy or flap surgery (or both), and the incidence of fractured plates.


RESULTS
Fractured plates occurred in 8 of 110 patients. Most occurred less than 6 months after surgery. All of the 8 patients had a malignant tumor; 2 had received radiation therapy and 4 had skin flaps placed. The fractured plate was the straight type in 1 patient and the angular type in 7 patients. Among patients who had fractured plates, the average number of remaining teeth was 12.8 in the maxilla and 9.5 in the mandible.


CONCLUSIONS
Fractured plates were more common among patients with oral cancer with a segmental defect that did not cross the midline in whom an angular-type plate was used and no bone grafting was performed.
Shibahara
Takahiko
T
First Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Tokyo Dental College, Chiba, Japan. sibahara@tdc.ac.jp
Noma
Hiroyasu
H
Furuya
Yoshitaka
Y
Takaki
Ryou
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001860:Bone Plates / Q000145:classification; D001863:Bone Screws; D016025:Bone Transplantation; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D019248:Jaw Fixation Techniques; D007576:Jaw, Edentulous, Partially / Q000145:classification; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000601:surgery*; D008339:Mandibular Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D008341:Mandibular Prosthesis / Q000145:classification; D008875:Middle Aged; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013193:Stainless Steel; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D013997:Time Factors; D014025:Titanium; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D013193:Stainless Steel; D014025:Titanium