title: Application of the spanning plate concept to frontal orbital advancement: techniques and clinical experience in 60 patients.
abstract: Frontal orbital advancement (FOA), is the procedure of choice in treatment of coronal and metopic synostosis. Resorbable plates and screws have been widely accepted for use in pediatric craniofacial surgery, including FOA. We have applied the concept of extended resorbable spanning plates to FOA for metopic, unilateral, and bilateral coronal synostosis in infants and children during a 5-year period. We report on 60 patients, ages 4 to 15 months (mean, 7 months); 28 girls, 32 boys. Follow-up ranged from 12 to 36 months (mean, 24 months). There were no structural failures, no infections, and no complications related to the use of extended spanning plates. Extended spanning plates decrease mobility between bone segments, confer greater stability to the construct, and reduce both the number of plates and of screws that are necessary and reduce the operative time. Application of these plates simplifies FOA surgery and represents a step in the evolution of plating technology.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery University of Indiana, Indianapolis, USA. FBurstein@aol.com
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Burstein
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Eppley
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hudgins
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Boydston
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reisner
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stevenson
mesh_terms: D020341:Absorbable Implants; D001860:Bone Plates; D003398:Craniosynostoses / Q000601:surgery*; D003399:Craniotomy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005624:Frontal Bone / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009915:Orbit / Q000601:surgery*