• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.24-29
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• 2013

Background: The incidence of blow out fractures is increasing and the techniques of diagnosis and treatment have been recently evolving. Despite its clinical significance, there has been no study on orbital inferiomedial blow out fractures. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the clinical significance of treatment of orbital inferiomedial blow out fractures. Methods: A retrospective review of fifty-seven patients who could be followed up for at least 1 year after surgical reconstruction of pure inferiomedial blow out fracture was undertaken. The transconjunctival approach was performed in all cases. The onlay technique was used in 32 patients and the inlay/sheet method was used in 25 patients. We evaluated the clinical outcomes using the chi-square test. Results: In the group using the onlay technique, postoperative diplopia and enophthalmos were observed in 14 cases and 3 cases, respectively. Of these, 5 cases and 3 cases lasted for more than 6 months, respectively. In the group using the inlay/sheet method, postoperative diplopia was observed in 9 cases, but there were no cases of enophthalmos. Among the 9 diplopia cases, 4 lasted for more than 6 months. Conclusion: Postoperative diplopia and enophthalmos were increased after treatment of inferiomedial blow out fractures compared to isolated medial (0.6%, 0.3%) or inferior (1.8%, 0.6%) blow out fractures. Therefore, careful dissection is necessary not to injure the inferior oblique muscle to decrease the incidence of postoperative diplopia. Moreover, the inlay/sheet method is an effective option for reconstruction of inferiomedial blow out fractures.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.93-98
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• 2021

Background: Pediatric nasal fractures, unlike adult nasal fractures, are treated surgically as early as 7 days after the initial trauma. However, in some cases, a week or more elapses before surgery, and few studies have investigated the consequences of delayed surgery for pediatric nasal fractures. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the postoperative outcomes of pediatric nasal fractures according to the time interval between the initial trauma and surgery. Methods: The records of pediatric patients under 12 years old who underwent closed reduction of nasal bone fracture from March 2012 to February 2020 were reviewed. The interval between trauma and surgery was divided into within 7 days (early reduction) and more than 7 days (delayed reduction). Postoperative results were classified into five grades (excellent, good, moderate, poor, and very poor) based on the degree of reduction shown on computed tomography. Results: Ninety-eight patients were analyzed, of whom 51 underwent early reduction and 47 underwent delayed reduction. Forty-two (82.4%) of the 51 patients in the early reduction group showed excellent results, and nine (17.6%) showed good results. Thirty-nine (83.0%) of the 47 patients in the delayed reduction group showed excellent results and eight (17.0%) showed good results. No statistically significant difference in outcomes was found between the two groups (chi-square test p= 0.937). However, patients without septal injury were significantly more likely to have excellent postoperative outcomes (chi-square test p< 0.01). Conclusion: No statistically significant difference was found in the outcomes of pediatric nasal fractures between the early and delayed reduction groups. Successful surgical results were found even in patients who received delayed reduction (more than 7 days after trauma).

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.24-30
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• 2019

Background: Closed reduction of the fracture under general or local anesthesia with elevators or forceps is widely used to treat nasal bone fractures. However, operating under general anesthesia increases the risk of morbidity and raises the cost of management. Furthermore, using forceps or elevators may cause undercorrection, new fractures, mucosal damage, and nasal hemorrhage. We therefore performed manual reduction under local anesthesia, using the little finger, to minimize the demerits of treatment under general anesthesia with forceps or elevators and aimed to assess functional and aesthetic outcomes, and patient satisfaction. Methods: Patients who visited the plastic and reconstructive surgery department between November 2016 and November 2017 with nasal bone fractures and treated by a single surgeon were prospectively followed up. Patients with simple unilateral or bilateral nasal bone fractures were treated with bedside finger reduction under local anesthesia and patients with comminuted nasal bone or septal fractures were scheduled for closed reduction under general anesthesia. Results: Of 84 patients, 28 met the inclusion criterion and underwent bedside finger reduction under local anesthesia. Twenty-seven patients (96.4%) were successfully contacted via telephone for survey. Twenty-three (85.2%) showed good and three (11.1%) showed fair results. All 27 patients (100%) were satisfied with their postoperative function and 25 (92.6%) were satisfied with their postoperative aesthetic result. Twenty-five patients (92.6%) preferred the finger reduction method under local anesthesia over closed reduction under general anesthesia. Conclusion: Finger reduction under local anesthesia in patients with mild unilateral or bilateral nasal bone fractures is an easy and efficient procedure with high patient satisfaction and favorable postoperative functional and aesthetic outcomes.

• Journal of Bone Metabolism
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.227-233
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• 2018

Background: Few studies have investigated the effects of sarcopenia on postoperative outcomes including mortality rates following surgery for osteoporotic hip fractures. The purpose of the present study was to determine the prevalence of sarcopenia and the relationship between sarcopenia and 1- and 5-year mortality rates in a consecutive series of patients with osteoporotic hip fractures. Methods: Among patients who underwent hip surgery for osteoporotic hip fractures, this study included 91 patients subjected to abdominal computed tomography within 1 year of hip surgery. We defined sarcopenia using sex-specific cut-off points for the skeletal muscle index at the level of the third lumbar vertebra. All patients were divided into 2 groups according to the presence or absence of sarcopenia and the 1- and 5-year mortality rates were compared. To confirm factors affecting mortality in addition to sarcopenia, we examined patient age, sex, American Society of Anesthesiologists grade, location of fracture, type of surgery, and bone mineral density. Results: The 1- and 5-year mortality rates were 20.9% and 67.2%, respectively. Among the 45 patients with sarcopenia, the 1- and 5-year mortality rates were 22.2% and 82.7%, respectively. Of the 46 patients without sarcopenia, the 1- and 5-year mortality rates were 19.6% and 52.7%, respectively. Results of the Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that sarcopenia did not affect the 1-year mortality rate (P=0.793), but had a significant effect on the 5-year mortality rate (P=0.028). Both perioperative sarcopenia (P=0.018) and osteoporosis (P=0.000) affected the 5-year mortality rate. Conclusions: Sarcopenia increases the risk of 5-year mortality in patients with osteoporotic hip fractures.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.233-238
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• 2019

Background: The open reduction of craniofacial bone fractures requires internal fixation using metal plates and screws, which have been considered the gold standard. However, metal implants pose a risk of palpation, protrusion, and foreign body reaction, and they may require an additional operation for removal. Recently, good results have been reported for absorbable implants which complement the disadvantages of metal implants. This study presents the results of using absorbable mesh, plates, and screws with cyanoacrylate for more accurate and firmer fixation of comminuted fractures of the maxilla. Methods: In total, 235 patients underwent operations for comminuted fractures of the maxilla. From January 2012 to December 2014, absorbable mesh and screws were used in 114 patients, while from January 2015 to December 2017, absorbable mesh, plates, and screws with cyanoacrylate were used in 121 patients. Open reduction of the bone fragments was performed, after which absorbable implants were accurately molded and fixed by screws. Results: All patients underwent postoperative computed tomography scans, which showed highly accurate reduction and firm fixation in the patients who underwent procedures using absorbable implants, screws, and cyanoacrylate. There were no postoperative complications or cases of abnormal facial contour. Conclusion: When absorbable implants and screws are used for maxillary fractures, no additional surgery to remove the metal plate is required. In addition, the use of cyanoacrylate enables accurate and firm fixation of the tiny bone fragments that cannot be fixed with screws.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.119-124
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• 2022

Background: Many severe nasal bone fractures present with septal fractures, causing postoperative septal deviation and negatively affecting the patients' quality of life. However, when a septal fracture is absent, it is difficult to predict whether surgical correction can help minimize nasal septal deviation postoperatively. This study determined whether performing closed reduction on even mildly displaced nasal bone fracture could deter the outcome of septal deviation. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of 116 patients aged 21-72 years who presented at the outpatient clinic and emergency room with fractures of nasal bones only without any involvement of the septum from January 2014 to December 2020. Patients were classified into three fracture type groups: A (unilateral), B (bilateral), and C (comminuted with depression). The degree of septal deviation was calculated by measuring the angle between the apex of the most prominent point and the crista galli in the coronal view on computed tomography images. The difference between the angles of the initial septal deviation and that of the follow-up was calculated and expressed as delta (Δ). Results: Closed reduction tended to decrease the postoperative septal deviation in all fracture types, but the values were significantly meaningful only in type A and B fractures. In the surgical group, with type A as the baseline, type B showed a significantly larger Δ value, but type C was not significantly different, although type C showed a smaller Δ value. In the conservative group, with type A as the baseline, the other fracture types presented significantly lower Δ values. Conclusion: For all fracture types, closed reduction significantly decreased the extent to which the nasal septum likely deviated. Therefore, when a patient is reluctant to undergo closed reduction, physicians should address the possible outcomes and prognosis of untreated nasal bone fractures.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.432-437
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• 2021

Objectives: The mandible and other parts of the maxillofacial region suffer significant morbid injuries following road traffic accidents. Our study gives epidemiological description of mandibular fractures in Ghana and also evaluates the relevance of closed reduction and indirect fixation for managing mandibular fractures in low-resource health facilities in low-income countries like Ghana. Patients and Methods: This is a retrospective study involving 268 patients who reported to the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of the Sunyani Regional Hospital with mandibular fractures from January 2010 to December 2019. Patient medical records were assessed for information on age, sex, fracture etiology, anatomic location of fracture, time of day of road traffic accident, and other associated injuries. Results: A total of 268 patients were included in this study (males, 216 [80.6%]; females, 52 [19.4%]). Motor vehicular accident (MVA) was the leading cause of mandibular fractures (202 injuries, 75.4%). Other etiologies included assault (39, 14.6%), gunshot (13, 4.9%), falls (12, 4.5%), and industrial accidents (2, 0.7%). Of the 161 male cases caused by MVA, 121 (75.2%) occurred at night and in the evening while the remaining 40 (24.8%) occurred in the morning and afternoon. Among all managed 222 patients, 212 (79.1%) were treated with closed reduction and indirect fixation technique while 10 (3.7%) were treated with open reduction and direct fixation. Conclusion: Closed reduction with indirect fixation could successfully be used to manage mandibular fractures in low resourced health facilities, especially in low-income countries. The poor lightening system on roads in Ghana is a major contributory factor to motor vehicular accidents.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.205-210
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• 2022

Background: Nasal bone fractures are the most common type of facial bone fracture, but are under-studied in adults above 65 years of age. Therefore, we investigated the epidemiology and patterns of nasal bone fractures among older adults in comparison to different age groups. Methods: This retrospective study included 2,321 nasal bone fracture patients who underwent surgery at our hospital from January 2010 to December 2017. The patients were classified by age as preschoolers, school-age children, young and middle-aged adults, and the elderly. We performed pairwise comparisons between elderly patients and each other age group in terms of sex, cause of injury, and fracture type. Results: The 2,321 nasal bone fracture patients included 76 elderly patients (50 men [65.8%] and 26 women [34.2%]). In these patients, the two most common injury causes were falling or slipping down (n= 39; 51.3%) and road traffic accidents (n= 19; 25.0%). According to the Stranc and Robertson classification, the most common force vector was lateral, and plane 2 fractures with lateral forces predominated. Conclusion: The elderly showed similar patterns of nasal bone fractures to those observed in young and middle-aged adults, but significant differences from preschoolers (in the injury vector and plane of fracture) and from school-age children (in the sex ratio and plane of fracture). However, elderly patients presented significantly different epidemiological characteristics compared to the other three groups. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the quality of life of the elderly and prepare for the upcoming super-aged society by taking steps to reduce the incidence and severity of fractures. Possible options for doing so include strengthening individual-level safety factors and expanding the social safety net for the elderly.

• Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.200-207
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• 2021

Periprosthetic femoral fractures remain as one of the most challenging complications following total hip arthroplasty. A thorough clinical and radiographic evaluation, precise classification, and understanding of modern management principles are essential to obtain optimal results for these fractures. The Vancouver classification system is a simple, effective, and reproducible method for the planning treatments of these injuries. The fractures associated with a stable femoral stem can be treated effectively with osteosynthesis, but periprosthetic femoral fractures associated with a loose stem require revision arthroplasty. This paper describes the principle of the treatment of patients with periprosthetic femoral fractures and how to assess the stability of the femoral stem.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.173-180
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• 2022

Purpose: The use of surgical stabilization of rib fractures (SSRF) has steadily increased over the past decade. Recent literature suggests that a larger population may benefit from SSRF, and that the geriatric population-as the highest-risk population-may receive the greatest improvement from these interventions. We sought to determine the overall utilization of SSRF in the United States. Methods: The National Trauma Database was analyzed between 2016 and 2017. The inclusion criteria were all patients ≥65 years old with rib fractures. We further stratified these patients according to age (65-79 vs. ≥80 years old), the presence of coding for flail chest, three or more rib fractures, and intervention (surgical vs. nonoperative management). The main outcomes were surgical interventions, mortality, pneumonia, length of stay, intensive care unit length of stay, ventilator use, and tracheostomy. Results: Overall, 93,638 patients were identified. SSRF was performed in 992 patients. Patients who underwent SSRF had improved mortality in the 65 to 79 age group, regardless of the number of ribs fractured. We identified 92,637 patients in the age group of 65 to 79 years old who did not undergo SSRF. This represents an additional 20,000 patients annually who may benefit from SSRF. Conclusions: By conservative standards and the well-established Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma clinical practice guidelines, SSRF is underutilized. Our data suggest that SSRF may be very beneficial for the geriatric population, specifically those aged 65 to 79 years with any rib fractures. We hypothesize that roughly 20,000 additional cases will meet the inclusion criteria for SSRF each year. It is therefore imperative that we train acute care surgeons in this skill set.