• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.49-52
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• 2020

The specialized structure of the upper eyelid ensures complete closure of the eye and eyeball sealing. An upper eyelid injury can cause various symptoms associated with eyeball trauma, not just scar formation or eyelid deformity. In this report, we describe a case of lagophthalmos observed after wound repair in a patient with a crushing injury caused by a grinder. Several surgical techniques are used to treat lagophthalmos or scar contracture. In most cases, a releasing procedure is performed after 6 months of initial repair. However, if the patient has severe symptoms that are not relieved by conservative care, early revision is inevitable. We describe a case of early lagophthalmos successfully resolved with pentagonal wedge resection, fat redistribution, and full-thickness skin grafting. After the revisional surgery, we observed that the patient regained the ability to completely close the injured eyelid, with restoration of function and favorable cosmetic outcomes. Pentagonal wedge resection to release a retracted structure, fat redistribution to prevent readhesion, and full-thickness skin grafting for enough amount of skin to regain upper eyelid function is useful for scar release and lagophthalmos following crushing injuries of the upper eyelid.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.58-62
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• 2011

Purpose: The focal ossification of auricular cartilage is an unusual clinical entity in which the ear becomes partially or totally rigid and immalleable. This condition may result from cold injury, local trauma, inflammation, or various systemic diseases. Patients may feel mild discomfort, but there are usually no other serious symptoms. We present a case of focal ossification of auricular cartilage in which the cause is unknown. Methods: A healthy 58-year-old man presented with a 2-year history of hard mass of right posterior auricular area. He denied any precipitating historical events like cold injury and inflammation. Routine testing did not demonstrate systemic abnormalities. Ultrasonographic examination revealed a $22{\times}10{\times}11mm$ sized heterogenous isoechoic mass showing an acoustic shadow. Results: Excisional biopsy was performed under local anesthesia. Histological examination revealed the ossification with deposition of trabecular bone in normal elastic cartilage. The patient was healed without any problems and satisfied with the result. Conclusion: We report clinical experience of focal ossification of auricular cartilage, which is quite a rare clinical entity. It should be considered that there is the possibility of ossification of cartilage when it meets the benign mass of the ear.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.270-274
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• 2018

Background: Nasal bone fractures occur frequently because the nasal bone is located at the forefront of the face. The goal of this study was to examine the cause, change in severity, change in incidence, and demographics of nasal bone fracture according to today's lifestyle. Methods: A total of 2,092 patients diagnosed as having nasal bone fractures at our department between 2002 and 2017 were included in this study. We retrospectively examined patients' medical records to extract information regarding age, sex, cause of injury, combined facial bone fractures, and related injuries such as skull base fracture, spinal cord injury, brain hemorrhage, and other bone fractures. Fracture severity was classified by nasal bone fracture type. Results: No statistically significant difference was found in annual number of patients treated for nasal bone fracture. The proportion of patients who underwent closed reduction was significantly decreased over time for those with nasal bone fractures caused by traffic accidents. However, it was not significantly changed for those with nasal bone fractures due to other causes. The number of patients with combined facial bone fractures increased over time. Incidences of severe nasal bone fracture also increased over time. Conclusion: The study suggested that there is a decrease in the frequency and increase in the severity of nasal bone fracture due to traffic accident. Many protective devices prevent nasal bone fractures caused by a small amount of external force; however, these devices are not effective against higher amounts of external force. This study highlights the importance of preoperative thorough evaluation to manage patients with nasal bone fractures due to traffic accident.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.223-227
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• 2019

Background: Neurosensory changes are frequently observed in the patients with mid-face fractures, and these symptoms are often caused by infraorbital nerve (ION) damage. Although ION damage is a relatively common phenomenon, there are no established and objective methods to evaluate it. The aim of this study was to test whether trigeminal somatosensory evoked potential (TSEP) could be used as a prognostic predictor of ION damage and TSEP testing was an objective method to evaluate ION injury. Methods: In this prospective TSEP study, 48 patients with unilateral mid-face fracture (only unilateral blow out fracture and unilateral zygomaticomaxillary fracture were included) and potential ION damages were enrolled. Both sides of the face were examined with TSEP and the non-traumatized side of the face was used as control. We calculated the latency difference between the affected and the unaffected sides. Results: Twenty-four patients recovered within 3 months, and 21 patients took more than 3 months to recover. The average latency difference between the affected side and unaffected side was 1.4 and 4.1 ms for the group that recovered within 3 months and the group that recovered after 3 months, respectively. Conclusion: Patients who suffered ION damage showed prolonged latency when examined using the TSEP test. TSEP is an effective tool for evaluation of nerve injury and predicting the recovery of patients with ION damage.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.130-134
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• 2012

Purpose: Brown syndrome is motility disorder of the eyeball which shows limited elevation in adduction and occurs very rarely after eye surgery. The authors have experienced a case of strabismus-like Brown syndrome combined with blepharoptosis and report this case with the review of literatures. Methods: A 28-year-old female suffered from hypotropia in the primary gaze and severe blepharoptosis with diplopia of the right eye after upper blepharoplasty. Rotation showed an inability to elevate the adducted right eye. She underwent extraocular muscle surgery about the 7 mm tucking of the right superior rectus muscle and 6 mm recession of right inferior rectus muscle. Intraoperatively, injury of the superior rectus muscle and foreign body were observed. Seven months after the extraocular surgery, the patient underwent frontalis muscle transfer on the right upper eyelid for the correction of blepharoptosis. Results: Postoperatively, the patient was orthophoric in the primary gaze, and she had improvements in the correction of blepharoptosis and eyeball movement. Conclusion: Repeated eyelid surgeries increase the risk of ocular motility disorder. Careful approach is essential for the proper treatment and successful outcome in secondary surgeries.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.119-124
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• 2012

Purpose: Closed reduction and nasal packings for 3-7 days is usual procedures in managing nasal bone fracture. Most patients experience several discomfort owing to lack of nasal breathing. There are many reports concerning how to reduce patient's discomforts or complications. But it is obvious that the duration of nasal packing is 3-7 days. The aim of this study is evaluate the effect of half day nasal packing in results of nasal bone fracture. Methods: The study was performed on 97 nasal bone fracture patients who had simple nasal bone fractures from January to June 2012. The incidence, cause, patient's discomfort and satisfaction with half day nasal packing are analyzed according to patient's medical records and questionnaire at each nasal packing removal, postoperative 4 weeks. Results: Young male patients, especially the teenagers and the twenties were the common age group, and physical violence was most common cause of injury. A total of 78 out of 97 patients were male. In 92 cases, closed reduction were applied. Approximately, 87% of the patients were satisfied with the outcomes. Conclusion: Half day nasal packing is considered as an effective method to minimize patient's discomfort owing to prolonged absence of nasal breathing with maintenance of stability.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.47-52
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• 1989

There were increased number of maxillofacial trauma in recent years accompanied by the change in the type and the severity of the injury thus it was necessary to set up new therapeutic concepts. Among many fixation methods, miniplate osteosynthesis, compression osteosynthesis, wire osteosynthesis and so forth were considered. In this paper we are reporting case of the multiple facial bone fracture, which mainly treated with miniplate osteosynthesis and the additionally used craniofacial suspension wire and transpaltal wire. It was concluded that miniplate osteosynthesis was useful in multiple facial bone fractures.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.46-49
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• 2013

Facial deformity after nerve injury changes ones' social life. We experienced a few patients with healthy early recovery of muscle contraction after the operation with soft tissue wraparound splint. Under general anesthesia, exploration to find as many injured nerve stumps with ${\times}2.5$ loopes was undertaken at first. Interfascicular repair was done with minimal tension by 10-0 nylon under a microscope, and the suture site was sealed by approximating the surrounding fat flaps. This conjoined adipose tissue flap was a splint as a wraparound environment to reduce the tension in the coaptation site, and to increase the relative concentration of releasing neurotrophic factors by surrounding it. A 45-year-old man fell down in a drunken state and had deep laceration by broken flowerpot fragments with facial muscle weakness on the right cheek. His injured mandibular branches of the facial nerve were found. A 31-year-old female suffered from motionlessnesss of frontalis muscle after a traffic accident. She had four frontal branches injured. The man had his cheek with motion after seven days, and the woman two months after the operation. The nerve conduction test of the woman showed normalized values. Facial nerve repair surrounded by adipose tissue wraparound splint can make the recovery time relatively short.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.300-303
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• 2018

Intraorbital wooden foreign bodies may present difficulties in diagnosis due to their radiolucent nature. Delayed recognition and management can cause significant complications. We present a case report that demonstrates these problems and the sequela that can follow. A 56-year-old man presented with a 3-cm laceration in the right upper eyelid, sustained by a slipping accident. After computed tomography (CT) scanning and ophthalmology consultation, which revealed no fractures and suggested only pneumophthalmos, the wound was repaired by a plastic surgery resident. Ten days later, the patient's eyelid displayed signs of infection including pus discharge. Antibiotics and revisional repair failed to solve the infection. Nearly 2 months after the initial repair, a CT scan revealed a large wooden fragment in the superomedial orbit. Surgical exploration successfully removed the foreign body and inflamed pocket, and the patient healed uneventfully. However, the prolonged intraorbital infection had caused irreversible damage to the superior rectus muscle, with upgaze diplopia persisting 1 year after surgery and only minimal muscle function remaining. We report this case to warn clinicians of the difficulties in early diagnosis of intraorbital wooden foreign bodies and the grave prognosis of delayed management.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.44-47
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• 2019

A carotid-cavernous sinus fistula is a rare condition in which an abnormal communication exists between the internal or external carotid artery and the cavernous sinus. It typically occurs within a few weeks after craniomaxillofacial trauma. In most cases, the carotid-cavernous sinus fistula occurs on the same side as the craniomaxillofacial fracture. We report a case of delayed carotid-cavernous sinus fistula that developed symptoms 7 months after the craniomaxillofacial fracture. The fistula developed on the side opposite to that of the craniomaxillofacial fracture. Based on our experience with this case, we recommend a long follow-up period of 7-8 months after the occurrence of a craniomaxillofacial fracture. We also recommend that the follow-up should include consideration of the side contralateral to the injury.