title: Reasons for plate removal after treatment of orbitozygomatic complex fractures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to assess numbers of patients that required removal of miniplates after open reduction and internal fixation of the orbitozygomatic complex over a six-year period, and review the reasons for removal.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective study from February 2007 to December 2013. All patients who had open reduction and internal fixation for traumatic orbitozygomatic complex fractures were included and those who returned to theatre for plate removal were identified.
  
  
  RESULTS
  307 plates were placed in 216 patients. Eight plates were removed from six patients giving a 2.6% incidence of plate removal (2.78% of patients). Infection or exposure occurred within the first year in five out of six patients, accounting for the seven buttress plates, which were in situ for an average of 180 days. The infraorbital plate was in situ for 972 days. The majority of plates used were buttress plates as single point fixation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our experience placement of buttress plates for one-point fixation of traumatic orbitozygomatic complex fractures seems to be a safe and effective method with a low rate of complication. Complications seem to occur within a year, which is similar to previous studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Surgery and Orthodontics, James Cook University Hospital, Marton Road, Middlesbrough, TS4 3BW, UK. Electronic address: hayley.llandro@nhs.net.
authors.forename: Hayley
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Llandro
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Surgery and Orthodontics, James Cook University Hospital, Marton Road, Middlesbrough, TS4 3BW, UK.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Langford
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001860:Bone Plates / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001863:Bone Screws; D020878:Device Removal; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009917:Orbital Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013529:Surgical Wound Dehiscence / Q000209:etiology; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000209:etiology; D055815:Young Adult; D015051:Zygomatic Fractures / Q000601:surgery*
keywords: Bone plates; Device removal; Internal rigid fixation; Orbital fractures; Zygomatic fractures