Luis Naval-Gías

Local recurrences and second primary tumors from squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity: A retrospective analytic study of 500 patients

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of local recurrences (LRs) and second primary tumors (SPTs) from squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity primarily treated with surgery and to further study their relationship with several primary tumor clinical and pathological features.

Vascularized free fibular flap for the reconstruction of mandibular defects: clinical experience in 42 cases

OBJECTIVE Since the advent of modern microvascular techniques, the fibula has become a reliable method for the reconstruction of partial or total mandibular defects. The purpose of this study is to evaluate our experience with the use of the vascularized free fibular flap for the reconstruction of mandibular defects following surgical resection. PATIENTS AND METHODS During a 5-year period, 102 consecutive patients were treated in our department for reconstruction of oral and maxillofacial defects, using microvascularized free flaps. Forty-two patients were reconstructed by means of the free vascularized fibular flap with or without a skin paddle. Patients underwent resection for benign (n = 15) and malignant (n = 27) entities. Fourteen patients received preoperative radiotherapy and only 1 patient received preoperative chemotherapy. The donor site was closed primarily in 7 cases, whereas an abdominal full-thickness skin graft was used in 35 cases. RESULTS Thirty-eight patients were treated by means of an osteocutaneous flap, whereas only 4 developed an osseous flap. Five patients developed complications related to the vascular anastomosis and needed a second surgical look. One patient died in the immediate postoperative period. The skin island flap was completely viable in 37 cases (88%). Considering bone survival as the main objective, an overall flap survival rate of 92.85% was achieved in the whole series. Endosseous dental implants were placed in 11 patients with adequate outcome. In 5 of these cases the double-barrel technique was performed. CONCLUSION Our results reveal that the vascularized free fibular flap is a reliable method for reconstructing mandibular defects with an acceptable low morbidity rate. The use of the osteocutaneous flap provides good reconstruction of composite mandibular defects. It constitutes an adequate support for dental implants.

Contralateral lymph neck node metastasis of squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity: a retrospective analytic study in 315 patients.

PURPOSE In relation to primary squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity, many clinical and histopathologic factors have been reported to be predictive for lymph neck node relapse. However, few large studies concerning the association between clinical-histopathologic features and the development of contralateral lymph neck node relapse (CLNR) after surgical resection of primary SCC of the oral cavity are available. The purpose of this study was to analyze those factors related to the appearance of contralateral lymph neck node relapse in patients with SCC of the oral cavity primarily treated by means of surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS This study was based on a series of 315 consecutive patients with primary SCC of the oral cavity treated between June 1979 and December 1999. All patients were treated primarily by means of surgery with or without adjuvant radiotherapy. The following data were analyzed for each patient: age, gender, habits, time to diagnosis, performance status, tumor clinical features, histologic grade, TNM staging, type of neck dissection, survival outcome, and functional/esthetic results at the end of the follow-up period. Histologic study included the pTNM classification, tumor size, surgical margins, extracapsular spread of lymph neck node metastasis, perineural infiltration, peritumoral inflammation, and bone involvement. RESULTS Eighty-three patients eventually died of the disease (26.34%). A total of 177 patients were alive with no evidence of recurrence at the end of the study. The mean disease-specific survival rate was 147 +/- 6 months. Twenty-nine (9.1%) patients developed ipsilateral lymph neck node relapse (ILNR), whereas 18 (5.69%) patients developed CLNR. The mean period of time from surgery to the appearance of CLNR was 12.52 months (range, 3 to 49 months). Eighteen of 29 patients with ILNR finally died of the disease. Seven of 18 patients with CLNR died of the disease. Several clinical-pathologic features were predictive for CLNR in SCC of the oral cavity, such as the time to diagnosis, TNM staging, positive ipsilateral clinical N status, histopathologic differentiation, surgical margins of primary tumor resection, type of neck dissection, and perineural infiltration. CONCLUSION Delay in diagnosis 12 or more months is associated with increased CLNR. Clinical and pathologic factors predictive for CLNR are TNM tumor staging IV, histopathologic poor-differentiation of the primary tumor, surgical margins less than 1 cm around the primary tumor, performance of isolated ipsilateral modified type III radical neck dissection, and perineural tumor involvement. Presence of ipsilateral neck metastasis at the time of diagnosis is associated with an augmented incidence of CLNR in SCC of the oral cavity.

Vascularized Fibular Flap for Reconstruction of the Condyle After Mandibular Ablation

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcome of the vascularized fibular free flap for the reconstruction of mandibular resections involving the condylar segment. PATIENTS AND METHODS Six patients underwent mandibular resection including the condyle. Two patients were diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, whereas the other 4 presented fibrous dysplasia, mandibular osteoradionecrosis, mandibular ameloblastoma, and giant cell granuloma of the mandible. All of them underwent condylar reconstruction by means of transplant of the free fibular flap. In all the cases, the fibula was placed directly into the glenoid fossa. The temporomandibular disc was preserved over the pole of the fibula. Panoramic radiographs were performed postoperatively to evaluate condylar position and grade of bone resorption. RESULTS Five patients developed adequate temporofibular function with absence of hypomobility and optimum interincisal opening, whereas 1 patient developed a temporofibular ankylosis with severe limitation of mandibular mobility and mouth opening. CONCLUSIONS The use of the fibula flap directly fitted into the glenoid fossa constitutes a reliable method in condylar reconstruction. However, the possibility of severe complications such as ankylosis has to be considered.

Le Fort I osteotomy, bilateral sinus lift, and inlay bone-grafting for reconstruction in the severely atrophic maxilla: a new vision of the sandwich technique, using bone scrapers and piezosurgery.

Severe atrophy of the edentulous maxilla and progressive pneumatisation of the maxillary sinus can compromise the insertion of dental implants. In this context, ideal implant positioning is limited by inadequate height, width, and quality of the bone. Le Fort I osteotomy and interpositional bone graft is an excellent treatment concept for the dental rehabilitation of patients with atrophied maxilla and reversed intermaxillary relationship. In this report, we indicate the transcendent aspect of elevation and preservation of maxillary sinus and nasal mucosa, modifying the sandwich technique by the useful of bone scrapers and piezosurgery. The procedure is described including a 1-stage approach using cortico-cancellous bone blocks through which implants are placed. In the extremely atrophied alveolar process of the maxilla, this technique provides the desired gain of bone, allows for the ideal placement of dental implants, and improves any discrepancy between the upper and lower arches.

Transport Osteogenesis in the Maxillofacial Skeleton: Outcomes of a Versatile Reconstruction Method Following Tumor Ablation

OBJECTIVES To report our clinical experience using bifocal distraction osteogenesis (BDO) with internal devices to treat patients having bony defects of the maxillofacial skeleton following tumor ablation and to focus on outcomes of dental implant placement in patients having maxillomandibular segmental defects. DESIGN Retrospective case series. SETTING Academic research. PATIENTS Patients were selected according to the following inclusion criteria: a bony defect in the maxillofacial skeleton, moderate soft-tissue defect, local or general conditions that preclude more aggressive surgery, and adequate patient compliance. Types of BDO included horizontal mandibular or maxillar alveolar, bilateral alveolar, vertical mandibular or maxillar, ramus and body, mandibular angle, symphysis, the 2-step procedure, temporalis muscle flap reconstruction, vascularized free-fibular flap reconstruction, radial forearm free-flap reconstruction, and pectoralis muscle flap reconstruction. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The latency period was 10 days, after which distraction was initiated at a rate of 0.5 mm/d. The distraction period continued until the transport disk reached the distal stump. The consolidation period ranged from 8 to 48 weeks. Seven patients required additional bone grafting to complete union with the residual bone. RESULTS Twenty-eight patients having bony defects of the maxillofacial skeleton underwent BDO. The mean (SD) bony defect length was 47.0 (20.1) mm. The mean (SD) distracted bone lengthening was 36.5 (20.0) mm, with a mean (SD) consolidation period of 16.4 (8.0) weeks. The bony defect involved the hemimandibular body in 12 patients, with greater involvement of the body and symphysis in 4 patients and of the bilateral mandibular body in 2 patients. Complications after BDO included the following: discomfort in 8 patients, complete intraoral exposure and infection in 3 patients, partial cutaneous exposure in 1 patient, premature consolidation in 1 patient, and temporomandibular joint ankylosis in 1 patient. Overall, BDO for reconstruction of bony defects was successful in 22 patients and failed in 6 patients. At the end of the follow-up period, 11 patients had undergone endosseous dental implant placement. CONCLUSIONS Bifocal distraction osteogenesis potentially benefits patients with bony defects following tumor ablation at various locations in the maxillofacial skeleton. Sufficient bone is gained to allow dental implant placement, an important functional outcome.

Carbon dioxide laser vermilionectomy for actinic cheilitis

Actinic cheilitis is a premalignant condition of the lower lip that requires treatment. Several methods have been advocated to manage this disease. In this study, 19 cases of actinic cheilitis were treated by carbon dioxide (CO2) laser vermilionectomy with good results. Because it has the advantages of both scalpel vermilionectomy and laser vaporization of the vermilion, CO2 laser vermilionectomy is proposed as a good method of treating actinic cheilitis.

Reconstruction of oromandibular defects by vascularized free flaps: the radial forearm free flap and fibular free flap as major donor sites.

PURPOSE Since the advent of the modern microvascular techniques, the radial forearm free flap (RFFF) and the vascularized fibular free flap (VFFF) have become reliable methods for reconstructing oromandibular defects. The purpose of this study is to evaluate our experience with the use of both free flaps in the reconstruction of oral cavity defects after tumoral ablation. PATIENTS AND METHODS Over a 9-year period, 103 consecutive patients were treated in our department for the reconstruction of oral defects after tumor ablation by means of microvascularized free flaps. A total of 55 patients underwent reconstruction using RFFFs; 42 patients underwent reconstruction using VFFFs with or without skin paddles. Patients were treated for benign (n = 15) and malignant (n = 82) entities. All but 7 patients received donor site covering with abdominal full-thickness skin grafts. RESULTS Of the 55 patients who received RFFFs, 5 (9.09%) developed necrosis at the end of the postsurgical period, and 7 patients developed complications of the donor site. Of the 42 patients who received VFFFs, an overall flap survival rate of 92.85% was achieved, and complications at the donor site occurred in 5 patients. For both free flaps, anesthesia time lasted from 6 to 15 hours (mean, 9.57 hours), whereas the mean flap ischemic time was 82.86 minutes. CONCLUSIONS Our results reveal that the RFFF is a reliable method for reconstructing a wide range of oral cavity defects with an acceptably low morbidity rate. It provides adequate bulk and pliability, enabling the reconstruction of a wide variety of locations within the oral cavity. The VFFF allows good reconstruction of composite mandibular defects and provides adequate support for dental implants.

Bifocal transport osteogenesis for the reconstruction of adult calvarial defects: A new surgical technique

Calvarial defects are common problems in craniofacial surgery. They may be explained by surgical interventions, infectious processes, cranial trauma or congenital anomalies. Calvarial defects are particularly challenging because they do not heal spontaneously in humans older than 24 months. The feasibility of using bifocal transport distraction osteogenesis to repair calvarial defects has been successfully evaluated in numerous experimental models. To our knowledge, it has not been used for the reconstruction of human skull defects. We report the first case of human calvarial defect healed by transport distraction osteogenesis.

Síndrome de Gorlin-Goltz: Serie de 7 casos

Goltz es un trastorno autosómico dominante, caracterizado principalmente por carcinomas basocelulares, múltiples queratoquistes y anomalías esqueléticas. El presente trabajo revisa a este desconocido síndrome dada la importancia que tiene para nosotros como especialistas. Presentamos un total de siete casos recogidos por el Servicio Cirugía Oral y Maxilofacial desde 1992 al 2008, con seguimiento medio de 10 años, determinamos la frecuencia de las características clínicas en nuestra serie de SNBC y el manejo terapéutico de las mismas.