The stability of maxillary osteotomies fixated with biodegradable mesh in orthognathic surgery.
OBJECTIVE
This study measures the stability of maxillary osteotomies fixated with 1-mm biodegradable mesh and screws.


METHODS
This prospective study involved 27 patients who underwent maxillary osteotomies. All cases had fixation with biodegradable mesh and screws (70% l-lactide and 30% D,l-lactide polymers). Lateral cephalometric radiographs were taken preoperatively within 2 months (T1), immediately postsurgically within 1 week (T2), postsurgically between 6 and 12 weeks (T3), and long-term postoperatively between 6 months and 1 year (T4). All cephalometric radiographs were digitized with Dolphin Imaging (Dolphin software version 9.0.0018, Chatsworth, CA). Vertical and horizontal measurements were made to several skeletal landmarks including Sella (S), A point (APT), posterior nasal spine (PNS), and upper incisor (UPI).


RESULTS
Twenty patients were completed. Seven patients were not included because lateral cephalometric radiographs were not obtained in the specific time period. It appears that the postsurgical vertical change was not statistically significant, but the horizontal change was significant (P < .01). Relapse was significant in the horizontal dimension.


CONCLUSIONS
There was more relapse in the anteroposterior (horizontal) direction than the superoinferior (vertical) direction in biodegradable mesh and screws. Biodegradable fixation was more stable in vertical surgical change than horizontal surgical change.
Sittitavornwong
Somsak
S
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294-0007, USA. sjade@uab.edu
Waite
Peter D
PD
Dann
John J
JJ
Kohn
Markell W
MW
D020341:Absorbable Implants; D001863:Bone Screws; D002508:Cephalometry; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D019248:Jaw Fixation Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008437:Maxilla / Q000601:surgery*; D019340:Osteotomy, Le Fort / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011091:Polyesters; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D053831:Surgical Fixation Devices; D013526:Surgical Mesh
D011091:Polyesters; C033616:poly(lactide)