title: Infection rate in mandibular angle fractures treated with a 2.0-mm 8-hole curved strut plate.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the rate of postoperative infection and the efficacy of removing teeth in the line of mandibular angle fractures treated with 2.0-mm 8-hole titanium curved strut plates. Our understanding is that this method of repair is currently being used only in a few centers in the United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of mandibular angle fractures treated with a 2.0-mm 8-hole strut plate during a 4-year period. Postoperative antibiotics were given for 1 week. Follow-up appointments were 4 weeks or longer. A nonchewing diet was instructed for 6 weeks. Data for all selected patients include the information such as age, gender, etiology of injuries, medical history, concurrent injuries, nerve deficits, pre- and postoperative antibiotic administration, postop infection, a presence or absence of teeth in the line of fractures, and whether these teeth were removed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four patients (4 of 49 or 8.2%) developed infections. Two of those patients had a tooth in the line of a fracture that was retained (2 of 14 or 14%). The third had a tooth in the line of a fracture that was extracted (1 of 18 or 5.6%). The fourth patient was 1 of the 17 patients who did not have teeth in the line of fracture and developed infection (1 of 17 or 5.9%). None of the patients developed failed hardware, malunion, nonunion, malocclusion, or iatrogenic nerve injury.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of a 2.0-mm 8-hole strut plate is associated with a low infection rate (8.2%). The infection rate for those mandibular angle fractures with teeth in the line of fracture retained was 14% compared with 5.6% for those fractures with the teeth in the line of fracture extracted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The University of Texas Health Science Center-Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bui
authors.forename: Nagi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Demian
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Beetar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D001860:Bone Plates; D001863:Bone Screws; D004032:Diet; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000295:instrumentation; D006801:Humans; D019248:Jaw Fixation Techniques; D008297:Male; D008337:Mandibular Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000209:etiology*; D014070:Tooth / Q000473:pathology; D014081:Tooth Extraction; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014754:Violence; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents