title: Wire-free fixation of jaw fractures.
abstract: Stainless steel wire is often used in the management of jaw fractures to provide intraoperative or postoperative intermaxillary fixation (IMF). Wiring of the jaws is time-consuming, a second procedure is needed to remove it, and needlestick injuries occur during placement. We report on 151 consecutive patients who had wire-free fixation of jaw fractures, and outline the value of a system of plastic anchorage points applied to individual teeth in both jaws that allows for wire-free IMF when they are linked by elastics (Rapid IMF, Synthes, PA, USA). A total of 150 successive patients had wire-free fixation of 146 mandibular and 5 maxillary fractures. Ninety-eight were hand-held in occlusion, and 52 were treated using Rapid IMF. There were few complications.
authors.affiliation: East Lancashire Maxillofacial Service, East Lancashire NHS Trust, Royal Blackburn Hospital, Haslingden Road, Blackburn BB2 3HH, UK. Gary.Cousin@elht.nhs.uk
authors.forename: G C S
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Cousin
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D001860:Bone Plates; D001864:Bone Wires; D004867:Equipment Design; D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D005882:Gingival Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D019248:Jaw Fixation Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007572:Jaw Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000209:etiology; D008337:Mandibular Fractures / Q000601:surgery; D008440:Maxillary Fractures / Q000601:surgery; D009757:Nylons / Q000737:chemistry; D019226:Oral Ulcer / Q000209:etiology; D010969:Plastics / Q000737:chemistry; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000209:etiology; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000209:etiology; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D009757:Nylons; D010969:Plastics; D014025:Titanium