title: Soft tissue coverage for mandibular fractures using two miniplates.
abstract: Recent reports have raised the concern that the two miniplate fixation technique for mandibular symphysis and body fractures may lead to greater complications than previously thought. However, it is possible that the surgical exposure and methods of soft tissue closure may be a major contributor to plate exposure. In this article, we detail a technique for vascularized tissue coverage of the hardware used to repair these mandibular fractures. We believe that this soft tissue coverage is crucial for minimizing complications associated with plate fixation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Yale, New Haven, Connecticut.
authors.forename: Ajul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Anup
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Derek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Steinbacher
keywords: coverage; fracture; miniplate