Miniplate removal in trauma and orthognathic surgery--a retrospective study.
Records of patients undergoing the surgical removal of miniplates placed during the management of maxillofacial trauma (n=49) and orthognathic surgery (n=16) in a single unit, over a 2-year period have been analysed. Data concerning indications for plating, age and sex distribution, site of plating, time between insertion and removal, antibiotic prophylaxis, general medical factors and clinical indications for plate removal were evaluated for all patients. In addition, data for trauma patients included the site of fracture, and time delay between injury and plate insertion. Infection and/or wound dehiscence were the predominant causes for plate removal in both groups, in spite of the routine use of prophylactic antibiotics in a predominantly young, healthy cohort of patients.A removal rate of approximately 10% was found in the two groups of patients. This low rate would seem to imply that the routine removal of miniplates is not clinically indicated.
Glasgow Dental Hospital and School, 378 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3JZ, Scotland, UK.
M R
MR
Mosbah
D
D
Oloyede
D A
DA
Koppel
K F
KF
Moos
D
D
Stenhouse
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D001860:Bone Plates; D015331:Cohort Studies; D020878:Device Removal; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008337:Mandibular Fractures / Q000601:surgery; D008437:Maxilla / Q000601:surgery; D008440:Maxillary Fractures / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D019340:Osteotomy, Le Fort / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013529:Surgical Wound Dehiscence / Q000209:etiology; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000209:etiology; D013997:Time Factors; D015051:Zygomatic Fractures / Q000601:surgery