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The aim of this retrospective case series was to discuss indications, surgical outcomes, and donor site morbidity in the use of superficial temporal artery perforator (STAP) flaps in intra-oral or extra-oral facial reconstruction. This study involved 9 patients treated with a STAP flap at the Maxillo-Facial Surgery Unit of the University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Naples. A STAP flap was used alone or in combination with other local flaps, for the coverage of facial soft tissue defects, after the resection of craniofacial malignant tumors (n = 7) or as a salvage flap, in partial or total microvascular flap loss (n = 2). The STAP flap was proven to be a valuable surgical option despite it not being frequently used in facial soft tissue reconstruction nor was it chosen as the first surgical option in patients under 70 year’s old. Donor site morbidity is one of the major reasons why this flap is uncommon. Appropriate patient selection, surgical plan, and post-surgical touch-ups should be performed in order to reduce donor site scar morbidity.

A 32-year-old man was referred to the Division of Orthodontics of the University of Naples “Federico II”, with a 15-year history of gradually increasing right-sided facial asymmetry. Clinical and radiological examinations was consistent to hemimandibular hyperplasia, a rare developmental asymmetry characterized by three-dimensional enlargement of one-half of the mandible. The standard surgical-orthodontic management was proposed to the patient. However, he refused to undergo bimaxillary orthognatic surgery. Therefore, a different treatment was proposed based on the orthodontic technique of pre-surgical decompensation and post-surgical refinement used in bimaxillary orthognatic surgery planning, and surgical intervention with a condylectomy. The dental arches were evenly levelled out with a multi-bracket treatment and then the condylectomy was performed. Orthodontic treatment continued with a levelling and torque control by 0.19 × 0.25 SS arch and physiotherapy. At the three-month follow-up, the patient showed anterior and posterior bite rebalancing, arch intercuspation recovery, and anterior open bite closure due to muscular self-rebalancing. The two-year follow-up showed regular mandibular dynamic, orthodontic appliances were removed, and the patient was instructed to wear retainer for the following months. The final result was aesthetically reasonable for the patient, although slight asymmetry of the chin persisted.

The aim of this case report was to evaluate the use of Partsch I cystotomy in order to preserve a dental implant located in an odontogenic cyst extended from 3.2 to 4.4. A 50 year-old woman showed a circular, well-defined unilocular radiolucent area, Ø2.5 cm, in the right mandibular region with an oral implant intruding inside it. The overdenture in the mandibular right site showed no clinical mobility. The authors decided to perform a surgical treatment aimed to preserve the implant. The patient underwent Partsch I surgery followed by iodoform gauze insertion replaced weekly for one month, revision of the previous orthograde endodontic treatments, and an acrylic resin obturator prosthesis application for the following two months. The twelve month follow-up showed no clinical mobility of the right lateral mandibular implant prostheses. Radiographical analysis revealed cystic lesion healing and perimplant bone regeneration. This report highlights the opportunity to apply cystotomy when the cyst involves a dental implant and undermines its stability. This possibility is offered by the peculiar clinical scenario where the implant was stabilized by the presence of a previous prosthetic fixation. Our study led to the application of an operative protocol that allowed for the preservation of the implant.