Experience with the rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap with vascularized hard tissue for immediate orbitofacial reconstruction

Simple maxillary reconstruction following total maxillectomy using artificial bone wrapped with vascularized tissue: five key points to ensure success

CONCLUSION

Our new method for hard tissue maxillary reconstructions using artificial bone implants provides stable results during long-term follow-up.

OBJECTIVE

To date, vascularized bone/cartilage grafting has been the most popular method for hard tissue reconstruction after total maxillectomy; however, such three-dimensional reconstruction requires complex and lengthy invasive surgery. We have developed a simple maxillary reconstruction procedure using artificial bone.

METHODS

This study included six patients who had undergone hard tissue reconstructions using artificial bone (Ceratite(TM)) implants after total maxillectomies between October 2002 and October 2010. We considered the following five key points to ensure success: (1) the procedure was conducted in two stages without communicating with the nasal cavity and sinuses; (2) when constructing the artificial bone, the curvature was reduced; (3) the space for the implant was kept to a minimum; (4) the artificial bone implant was closely and accurately fixed to the stump of the zygomatic arch; and (5) the artificial bone implant was wrapped with a vascularized tissue flap.

RESULTS

The follow-up period ranged from 12 to 94 months. The postoperative zygomatic contour was maintained satisfactorily in all patients with no signs of late complications.

Reconstruction of high maxillectomy defects with the fibula osteomyocutaneous flap in combination with titanium mesh or a zygomatic implant

BACKGROUND

This retrospective review examined the authors' patients who underwent reconstruction of high maxillectomy defects with fibula osteomyocutaneous flaps in combination with titanium mesh or a zygomatic implant. Outcome assessments included aesthetic, speech, and masticatory function.

METHODS

Twenty patients who underwent reconstruction of high maxillectomy defects with fibula osteomyocutaneous flaps in combination with titanium mesh (n = 19) or a zygomatic implant (n = 1) were reviewed. The fibula was fashioned to recreate the alveolar ridge and pterygomaxillary buttress, and the skin paddle was applied to restore the palate and nasal airway. The anterior wall of the maxilla and the orbital floor were reconstructed with titanium mesh in 19 patients. In four patients with extensive soft-tissue defects, a radial forearm flap was combined to restore missing soft tissue. Aesthetics, speech, and masticatory function were evaluated postoperatively.

RESULTS

Nine patients underwent immediate maxillary reconstruction and 11 patients underwent secondary reconstruction. The overall success rate of 24 flaps was 95.8 percent. The exposure rate for titanium mesh and the oronasal fistula rate were both 10.5 percent. The average length of follow-up was 34.7 months. Recurrence occurred in only one patient, who died as a result of the disease. Ten patients received implant-borne prostheses or removable partial dentures. Excellent or good cosmesis and intelligible speech were noted in 19 patients. All patients were ultimately able to tolerate a regular or soft diet.

CONCLUSIONS

Reconstruction of high maxillectomy defects with the fibula osteomyocutaneous flap in combination with titanium mesh or a zygomatic implant is a feasible and acceptable option with a high success rate, a low complication rate, excellent postoperative cosmesis, and well-accepted function.

Three-step orbitofacial reconstruction after extended total maxillectomy using free RAM flap and expanded cervicofacial flap with cartilage grafts

Facial defect after an extended total maxillectomy is one of the most difficult deformities to reconstruct aesthetically, because the defect is not only large but also three-dimensional. Although free-flap reconstruction is useful, the patchwork-like scar, bad colour match and poor texture match are major problems. The contracture and displacement of the reconstructed eyelids and eye socket are also serious matters. To resolve these problems, we have performed a three-step reconstruction using a free rectus abdominis myocutaneous (RAM) flap and an expanded cervicofacial flap with cartilage grafts. In the first step, a free RAM flap was transplanted to the defect after extended total maxillectomy. In the second step, tissue expanders were placed under the skin of the cheek and neck a year after the RAM flap transplantation. After expansion of the cheek and neck skin, the third step was performed. The inferior part of the external skin island of the RAM flap was raised and sutured to the superior margin of the skin island to create a pouch for the eye socket. Costal cartilage was grafted to reconstruct the orbital floor and malar prominence, and auricular cartilage was grafted to reconstruct the tarsal plates. Finally, the expanded cervicofacial flap was rotated to cover this construct. Two weeks after reconstruction, the neo-eyelids were divided to form the lid fissure. We performed the three-step reconstruction on six cases after extended total maxillectomy. In all cases, a deep and stable eye socket was reconstructed. The reconstructed eyelids and cheek were natural in appearance with good colour and texture match without conspicuous scars. To obtain symmetry and natural appearance in the orbitomaxillary reconstruction, there are five points that should be formed; the eye socket, the groundwork of the eye socket, the orbital floor and malar prominence, the tarsal plates and the surface of the eyelids and cheek. We do not reconstruct the palate to set prosthetic dentures and to clean the surface of the skin island in the nasal cavity. To reconstruct the indispensable five points and achieve satisfying results, we propose this three-step reconstruction.

Combination of Costal Cartilage Graft and Rib-Latissimus Dorsi Flap

In secondary reconstruction of the maxilla, skeletal reconstruction as well as soft tissue augmentation is required to obtain a good contour. We present a new strategy for combining a costal cartilage graft with a rib-latissimus dorsi flap. We used this method to treat a 39-year-old man who had previously undergone total maxillectomy. First, a vascularized rib, elevated together with a latissimus dorsi flap, was fixed between the middle of the maxilla and the edge of the zygomatic arch. The small defects that could not be reconstructed with the rib only were reconstructed with a costal cartilage graft. The patient did not develop any postoperative infection or flap necrosis. Thirteen months after the secondary reconstruction, he presented with a good contour of the cheek. Our method was effective for the reconstruction of a complex skeletal defect of the maxilla.

Calvarial Bone Grafts and Temporalis Muscle Flap for Midfacial Reconstruction After Maxillary Tumor Resection

Midfacial reconstruction after radical oncological resection is a challenging endeavor and several options can be employed: prosthethic devices, pedicled flaps (with or without the aid of autologous or alloplastic grafts), and microvascular flaps. Each technique has specific indications, advantages and disadvantages. The use of traditional surgical reconstructive procedures seems to be shifted nowadays by microvascular free flaps. Nevertheless, in our experience the myofascial temporalis flap associated with free calvarial bone grafts demonstrate to be a safe and versatile option in primary midfacial reconstruction. From this point of view the authors have developed a technique for one-stage reconstruction of the orbito-maxillary skeleton and soft tissues and without the use of microsurgical flaps; this surgical procedure can be used only on patients for whom a resection of the cutaneous tissues and exenteratio orbitae are not necessary. The aims of this paper is to describe the surgical technique and to show a retrospective analysis on 17 patients which underwent midfacial radical resection and immediate reconstruction with calvarial bone grafts and temporalis muscle flap along 15 years.

Mid-facial reconstruction after maxillectomy

Reconstruction following extensive resection of the maxilla has been a challenging problem in the field of head and neck cancer surgery. At our institutes, maxillectomy defects have been restored based on the principles of repair involving the important concept of maxillary buttress reconstruction. Reconstruction of the zygomaticomaxillary buttress (ZMB), including the orbital floor, is essential for prevention of the malpositioning of the eyeglobe in preservation of the orbital contents. ZMB reconstruction is also important to provide a good contour of malar prominence. Pterygomaxillary buttress (PMB) reconstruction provides sufficient support for the fitting of a dental prosthesis. In patients with extensive resection of buccal soft tissue, a PMB and nasomaxillary buttress (NMB) should be reconstructed to prevent superior and posterior deviation of the alar base and oral commissure. We advocate that critical assessment of skeletal defects, as well as associated soft-tissue defects, following various types of maxillectomies is essential for a rational approach to achieve satisfactory clinical results.

Paranasal Sinus and Midfacial Reconstruction

Midface defects pose the most difficult of the facial reconstruction problems. Current reconstruction relies heavily on microsurgical techniques, among which there are numerous possibilities. Although midface defects frequently extend to the upper and lower face, often an awareness of the midface subunits most involved can be of critical importance. This article presents an approach that will help the surgeon to identify the defect-related problems, prioritize the reconstructive goals, and select the best surgical option in the total patient context.

Contemporary skull base reconstruction

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Tumors of the skull base that would have been considered inoperable thirty or forty years ago are now routinely resected with reliable results due to the advancement of modern reconstructive techniques. High mortality rates were common prior to the use of vascularized tissue for skull base repair. However, the advent of local flap reconstruction for skull base defects in the 1960s revolutionized skull base surgery. The use of regional flaps in the 1970s and 1980s allowed skull base surgeons to perform more extensive surgeries, but complication rates were still quite high.

RECENT FINDINGS

Experience with free tissue reconstruction increased through the 1980s and 1990s and has become a reliable method to separate the intracranial from extracranial environments. Free tissue transfer has allowed surgeons to address the large volume defects created by extensive skull base resections and has provided dependable, vascularized tissue that is relatively resistant to adjuvant radiation. Local flaps have also become a powerful reconstructive tool in conjunction with free tissue transfer, and in some select cases, may be sufficient alone for reconstruction.

SUMMARY

The prevention of serious complications after skull surgery has improved with the use of vascularized tissue. Depending on the anatomic site, the extent of the defect, and the quality of local tissues, either free tissue transfer and/or local flap reconstruction is preferred. Regional flap reconstruction should be reserved for cases where alternative reconstructive techniques are not available.

Combined treatment of advanced stages of recurrent skin cancer of the head

Object. The authors investigated whether skull base resection and primary free-flap reconstruction in a single-stage surgery is oncologically effective for treating advanced stages of recurrent skin cancer (RSC) of the head.

Methods. Eighteen consecutive patients were surgically treated. Twelve of them underwent an anterolateral skull base resection, which was performed using a pterional craniotomy combined with an orbitozygomatic osteotomy. Six patients underwent a posterolateral skull base resection, which was performed using an asterional craniotomy combined with a retrolabyrinthine petrosectomy. The wide postoperative defects were covered with muscular or myocutaneous free flaps.

The main factor influencing survival was the extent of the resection: patients with no or minimal residual disease showed a statistically significant longer survival time than those with consistent residual disease. Basal cell carcinoma had a better prognosis than squamous cell carcinoma. A trend toward improved survival was observed in patients classified as T4M0 with negative lymph nodes (N0), but this trend was not statistically significant. Adjuvant radiotherapy significantly influenced both survival time and the rate of local recurrence. The surgical morbidity rate was 27.8%; there were two transient cerebrospinal fluid leaks and three seventh cranial nerve injuries. Late complications included radionecrosis in one patient and skin erosion requiring a second surgery in another patient. No deaths occurred during a 30-day postoperative period.

Conclusions. Advances in skull base surgery and free-flap reconstruction allowed the authors to treat patients with advanced-stage RSC of the head in a rather satisfactory manner. Only when it is impossible to achieve no or minimal residual disease should aggressive treatment be considered.

Surgical management of maxillectomy defects based on the concept of buttress reconstruction

BACKGROUND

Few published large series have described a surgical approach to maxillary skeletal reconstruction on the basis of the extent of maxillectomy.

METHODS

We have reviewed a 10-year experience with 38 consecutive maxillary reconstructions with respect to maxillectomy defects, reconstructive procedures, reconstructed buttresses, and functional and aesthetic outcomes.

RESULTS

Maxillectomy defects were classified into three categories on the basis of the buttress concept. Buttress reconstruction was most frequently performed in category III maxillary defects (56%), followed by category I (50%) and category II (20%). The vascularized composite autograft included the rectus abdominis myocutaneous free flap combined with costal cartilage, and the latissimus dorsi myocutaneous free flap combined with the V-shaped scapula is an effective method for reliable reconstruction of both skeletal and soft tissues.

CONCLUSIONS

A critical assessment for skeletal defects and associated soft tissue defects is essential for an adequate approach to solve complex problems in maxillary reconstruction. On the basis of retrospective analysis of this series, a reconstructive algorithm for surgical management of maxillectomy defects is proposed.

Skull base reconstruction

Reconstruction of skull base defects following tumor resection is of paramount importance in avoiding serious and life-threatening complications. Cranial base surgery has evolved and outcomes have steadily improved as increasingly reliable reconstructive techniques have been adapted to repair the challenging wounds in this complex anatomic region. The most significant development has been the introduction and refinement of microvascular free tissue transfer to the skull base over the past 15 to 20 years. Free flaps can reliably provide the requisite tissue to not only seal the intracranial space from the subjacent cavities, but also to restore complex craniofacial defects that often result from skull base tumor excision. Advances in alloplast technology have also expanded the armamentarium available to the reconstructive surgeon. In particular, bone substitutes, titanium hardware, and resorbable plate fixation have been shown to be very efficacious when used in carefully selected situations. Finally, tissue sealants and adhesives have become widely used as an adjunctive method to achieve a water-tight dural repair.

Repair of composite zygomatico-maxillary defects with free bone grafts and free vascularized tissue transfer

INTRODUCTION

Three-dimensional repair of the zygomatico-maxillary defect calls for an elaborate technique to achieve facial symmetry and correct globe position. We present a technique, which combines the use of a free vascularized soft tissue flap and free bone grafts for repair of composite zygomatico-maxillary defects.

PATIENTS

Three patients that underwent radical resection of the maxilla and the zygoma have undergone facial reconstruction using this technique. The mean follow up was 9 months.

METHODS

The key points of this technique are: (1) precise reconstruction of the zygomatico-maxillary complex including the orbit; (2) creation of a skeletal framework for canthopexy and suspension of the free flap; (3) repair of through-and-through soft tissue defects with a folded musculocutaneous free flap; and (4) simultaneous harvesting and reconstruction using two surgical teams to reduce the duration of surgery.

RESULTS

Reconstruction of the zygomatico-maxillary complex could be successfully accomplished in a single surgical procedure.

CONCLUSION

This paper presents a method of repairing zygomatico-maxillary defects with free bone grafts and vascularized soft tissue. However, this concept has yet to be reviewed in the long term.

Factors in the pathogenesis of tumors of the sphenoid and maxillary sinuses: a comparative study

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS

To explain the processes that lead to the development of tumors in the maxillary and sphenoid sinuses.

STUDY DESIGN

A 32-year review of the world's literature on neoplasms of these two sinuses and a randomized case-controlled study comparing the normal mucosal architecture of the maxillary to the sphenoid sinus.

METHODS

Analysis of a 32-year world literature review reporting series of cases of maxillary and sphenoid sinus tumors. Tumors were classified by histological type and separated into subgroups if an individual incidence rate was reported. Histomorphometry of normal maxillary and sphenoid sinus mucosa was performed in 14 randomly selected patients (10 sphenoid and 4 maxillary specimens). Specimens were fixed in 10% formalin, embedded in paraffin, and stained with periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and hematoxylin. Histomorphometric analysis was performed with a Zeiss Axioscope light microscope (Carl Zeiss Inc., Thornwood, NY) mounted with a Hamamatsu (Hamamatsu Photonics, Tokyo, Japan) color-chilled 3 charge coupled device digital camera. The images were captured on a 17-inch Sony (Sony Corp., Tokyo, Japan) multiscan monitor and analyzed with a Samba 4000 Image Analysis Program (Samba Corp., Los Angeles, CA). Five random areas were selected from strips of epithelium removed from each sinus, and goblet and basal cell measurements were made at magnifications x 100 and x 400.

RESULTS

The literature review revealed that the number and variety of tumors in the maxillary sinus are much greater than those in the sphenoid. The incidence of metastatic lesions to each sinus is approximately equal. No recognized pattern of spread from any particular organ system could be determined. On histomorphometric study there were no statistically significant differences between the sinuses in the concentration of goblet cells, basal cells, or seromucinous glands.

CONCLUSIONS

Factors involved in the pathogenesis of tumors of the maxillary and sphenoid sinuses include differences in nasal physiology, embryology, morphology, and topography. There are no significant histological differences in the epithelium and submucous glands between the two sinuses to explain the dissimilar formation of neoplasms.

A classification system and algorithm for reconstruction of maxillectomy and midfacial defects

Maxillectomy defects become more complex when critical structures such as the orbit, globe, and cranial base are resected, and reconstruction with distant tissues becomes essential. This study reviews all maxillectomy defects reconstructed immediately using pedicled and free flaps to establish (1) a classification system and (2) an algorithm for reconstruction of these complex problems. Over a 5-year period, 60 flaps were used to reconstruct defects classified as the following: type I, limited maxillectomy (n = 7); type II, subtotal maxillectomy (n = 10); type IIIa, total maxillectomy with preservation of the orbital contents (n = 13); type IIIb, total maxillectomy with orbital exenteration (n = 18); and type IV, orbitomaxillectomy (n = 10). Free flaps (45 rectus abdominis and 10 radial forearm) were used in 55 patients (91.7 percent), and the temporalis muscle was transposed in five elderly patients who were not free-flap candidates. Vascularized (radial forearm osteocutaneous) bone flaps were used in four of the 60 patients (6.7 percent) and nonvascularized bone grafts in 17 (28.3 percent). Simultaneous reconstruction of the oral commissure using an Estandler procedure was performed in 10 patients with maxillectomy and through-and-through soft-tissue defects. Free-flap survival was 100 percent, with reexploration in five of 55 patients (9.1 percent) and partial-flap necrosis in one patient. Seven of the 60 patients (11.7 percent) had systemic complications, and four died within 30 days of hospitalization. Fifty patients had more than 6 months of follow-up with a mean time of 27.7 (+/- 15.6) months. Postoperative radiotherapy was administered in 32 of these patients (64.0 percent). Chewing and speech functions were assessed in 36 patients with type II, IIIa, and IIIb defects. A prosthetic denture was fixed in 15 of 36 patients (41.7 percent). Return to an unrestricted diet was seen in 16 patients (44.4 percent), a soft diet in 17 (47.2 percent), and a liquid diet in three (8.3 percent). Speech was assessed as normal in 14 of 36 patients (38.9 percent), near normal in 15 (41.7 percent), intelligible in six (16.7 percent), and unintelligible in one patient (2.8 percent). Globe and periorbital soft-tissue position was assessed in 14 patients with type I and IIIa defects. There were no cases of enophthalmos, and one patient had a mild vertical dystopia. Ectropion was observed in 10 of 14 patients (71.4 percent). Oral competence was considered good in all 10 patients with excision/reconstruction of the oral commissure; however, two patients (20 percent) developed microstomia after receiving radiotherapy. Aesthetic results were evaluated at least 6 months after reconstruction in 50 patients. They were good to excellent in 29 patients (58 percent) for whom cheek skin and lip were not resected, and poor to fair (42 percent) when the external skin or orbital contents were excised. Secondary procedures were required in 16 of 50 patients (32.0 percent). Free-tissue transfer provides the most effective and reliable form of immediate reconstruction for complex maxillectomy defects. The rectus abdominis and radial forearm flaps in combination with immediate bone grafting or as osteocutaneous flaps reliably provide the best aesthetic and functional results. An algorithm based on the type of maxillary resection can be followed to determine the best approach to reconstruction.