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Background A comprehensive understanding of changes in health-related quality of life after head and neck cancer surgery is necessary for effective preoperative counseling. The goal of this study was to perform a longitudinal analysis of postoperative quality of life outcomes after fibula free flap (FFF) mandible reconstruction. Methods A retrospective review was performed for all patients who underwent oncologic mandible reconstruction with an FFF between 2000 and 2021. Completion of at least one postoperative FACE-Q questionnaire was necessary for inclusion. FACE-Q scores were divided into five time periods for analysis. Functional outcomes measured with speech language pathology (SLP) assessments and tracheostomy and gastrostomy tube status were analyzed at three time points. Results One hundred and nine patients were included. Of these, 68 patients also had at least one SLP assessment. All outcomes as measured by the various FACE-Q scales did not improve significantly from the immediate postoperative time point to the last evaluated time point (p > 0.05). SLP functional outcomes showed some deterioration over time, but these were not significant (p > 0.05). The percentage of patients who required a tracheostomy (18 to 2%, p = 0.002) or gastrostomy tube (25 to 11%, p = 0.035) decreased significantly from the immediate postoperative time point to the last evaluated time point. Conclusion Subjective quality of life outcomes do not change significantly with time after oncologic FFF mandible reconstruction. Reconstructive surgeons can use these results to help patients establish appropriate and achievable quality of life goals after surgery. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the impact of specific relevant clinical variables on postoperative quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: As breast cancer rates rise, more patients choose breast reconstruction. Autologous breast reconstruction (ABR) may be more cost-effective and offer superior patient quality of life compared to prosthetic implant-based reconstruction but it involves heightened surgical complexity and extended operative time. Imaging facilitates surgical planning, patient selection, and reduces the time spent in the operating room, thereby enhancing the likelihood of surgical success and decreasing complication rates. Advanced imaging has also spurred innovative surgical techniques aimed at improving aesthetic outcomes and minimizing donor-site morbidity, including robotic-assisted deep inferior epigastric flap perforator (DIEP) flap harvest and stacked microsurgical flaps. The evolution of imaging actively shapes clinical management in the field. Ultrasonography (US), computed tomography angiography (CTA), and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) stand out as the most extensively researched imaging modalities for ABR. Ongoing advancements include "real-time" angiography and three-dimensional (3D) surface imaging, and future prospects incorporate augmented or virtual reality (AR/VR) and artificial intelligence (AI). These technologies may further enhance perioperative efficiency, reduce donor-site morbidity, and improve surgical outcomes in ABR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Fibula free flaps (FFF) are the gold standard tissue for the reconstruction of segmental mandibular defects. A comparison of miniplate (MP) and reconstruction bar (RB)-based fixation of FFFs has been previously described in a systematic review; however, long-term, single-center studies comparing the two plating methods are lacking. The authors aim to examine the complication profile between MPs and RBs at a single tertiary cancer center. We hypothesized that increased components and a lack of rigid fixation inherent to MPs would lead to higher rates of hardware exposure/failure. Methods A retrospective review was performed from a prospectively maintained database at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. All patients who underwent FFF-based reconstruction of mandibular defects between 2015 and 2021 were included. Data on patient demographics, medical risk factors, operative indications, and chemoradiation were collected. The primary outcomes of interest were perioperative flap-related complications, long-term union rates, osteoradionecrosis (ORN), return to the operating room (OR), and hardware exposure/failure. Recipient site complications were further stratified into two groups: early (<90 days) and late (>90 days). Results In total, 96 patients met the inclusion criteria (RB = 63, MP = 33). Patients in both groups were similar with respect to age, presence of comorbidities, smoking history, and operative characteristics. The mean follow-up period was 17.24 months. In total, 60.6 and 54.0% of patients in the MP and RB cohorts received adjuvant radiation, respectively. There were no differences in rates of hardware failure overall; however, in patients with an initial complication after 90 days, MPs had significantly higher rates of hardware exposure (3 vs. 0, p = 0.046). Conclusion MPs were found to have a higher risk of exposed hardware in patients with a late initial recipient site complication. It is possible that improved fixation with highly adaptive RBs designed by computer-aided design/manufacturing technology explains these results. Future studies are needed to assess the effects of rigid mandibular fixation on patient-reported outcome measures in this unique population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Little is known about the risk factors associated with complications after free flap scalp reconstruction. The purpose of this study was to identify patient, scalp defect, and flap characteristics associated with increased risk of surgical complications. Methods A retrospective study was performed of free-flap scalp reconstruction in oncologic patients at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center from 2002 to 2017. Data collection included patient, defect, flap, and complication characteristics. Complications were classified into major, defined as complications requiring surgical intervention, and minor, defined as complications requiring conservative treatment. Risk factors and outcome variables were compared using chi-square with Fisher's exact test. Results A total of 63 free flaps to the scalp in 58 patients were performed; average follow-up was 3.5 years. Most flaps were muscle-only or musculocutaneous. One-third of patients with free flaps experienced complications (n = 21, 15 major and 6 minor). Examining risk factors for complications, patients with cardiovascular disease were nearly three times more likely to have suffered a major complication than patients without cardiovascular disease (36.7 vs. 12.1%, p= 0.04). This was the only significant risk factor noted. Perioperative radiotherapy, prior scalp surgery, flap type, and recipient vessel selection were found to be nonsignificant risk factors. Conclusion Cardiovascular disease may be a significant marker of risk for major complications in patients undergoing free-flap reconstruction of the scalp. This information should be used to help guide perioperative counseling and decision making in this challenging patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oral cancer treatment involving the maxilla and/or mandible often results in esthetic and functional deficits that can diminish the patient's quality of life. As a result, expeditious reconstruction of the defect and dental rehabilitation is desirable. Dental rehabilitation shortly after reconstruction with an osteocutaneous free flap and resection prosthesis is a persistent challenge for patients with oncologic defects where immediate dental rehabilitation is not a possibility. Additionally, conventional prosthesis fabrication techniques are impractical or impossible due to postoperative anatomical changes and limitations in clinical armamentarium. To address these limitations, a technique and a novel implant-supported prosthetic workflow for the oncologic patient were developed to provide interim dental rehabilitation for such clinical situations. This article describes the prosthesis fabrication technique, reports short-term outcomes, and evaluates patient-reported quality-of-life outcomes using the FACE-Q Head and Neck Cancer Module. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background  Radiation-associated soft tissue injury is a potentially devastating complication for head and neck cancer patients. The damage can range from minor sequelae such as xerostomia, which requires frequent daily maintenance, to destructive degenerative processes such as osteoradionecrosis, which can contribute to flap failure and delay or reverse oral rehabilitation. Despite the need for effective radioprotectants, the literature remains sparse, primarily focused on interventions beyond the surgeon's control, such as maintenance of good oral hygiene or modulation of radiation dose. Methods  This narrative review aggregates and explores noninvasive, systemic treatment modalities for prevention or amelioration of radiation-associated soft tissue injury. Results  We highlighted nine modalities with the most clinical potential, which include amifostine, melatonin, palifermin, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, photobiomodulation, pentoxifylline–tocopherol–clodronate, pravastatin, transforming growth factor-β modulators, and deferoxamine, and reviewed the benefits and limitations of each modality. Unfortunately, none of these modalities are supported by strong evidence for prophylaxis against radiation-associated soft tissue injury. Conclusion  While we cannot endorse any of these nine modalities for immediate clinical use, they may prove fruitful areas for further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leiomyosarcoma is a rare malignant condition occurring in the maxillofacial region in which the mandible may be affected. Management of this tumor in the mandible may include segmental mandibulectomy, osteocutaneous fibula free-flap reconstruction, endosseous implants, and postoperative radiotherapy. Posttreatment malocclusion can be managed with an overpartial mandibular resection prosthesis. The purpose of this report is to describe the expeditious oral rehabilitation of an oncologic patient with posttreatment malocclusion, demonstrating the utility of an overpartial mandibular resection prosthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study sought to estimate the incidence and incidence rate of breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) at a high-volume single institution, which enables vigorous long-term follow-up and implant tracking for more accurate estimates. Summary Background Data: The reported incidence of BIA-ALCL is highly variable, ranging from 1 in 355 to 1 in 30,000 patients, demonstrating a need for more accurate estimates. Methods: All patients who underwent implant-based breast reconstruction from 1991 to 2017 were retrospectively identified. The incidence and incidence rate of BIA-ALCL were estimated per patient and per implant. A time-to-event analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier estimator and life table. Results: During the 26-year study period, 9373 patients underwent reconstruction with 16,065 implants, of which 9589 (59.7%) were textured. Eleven patients were diagnosed with BIA-ALCL, all of whom had a history of textured implants. The overall incidence of BIA-ALCL was 1.79 per 1000 patients (1 in 559) with textured implants and 1.15 per 1000 textured implants (1 in 871), with a median time to diagnosis of 10.3 years (range, 6.4-15.5 yrs). Time-to-event analysis demonstrated a BIA-ALCL cumulative incidence of 0 at up to 6 years, increasing to 4.4 per 1000 patients at 10 to 12 years and 9.4 per 1000 patients at 14 to 16 years, although a sensitivity analysis showed loss to follow-up may have skewed these estimates. Conclusions: BIA-ALCL incidence and incidence rates may be higher than previous epidemiological estimates, with incidence increasing over time, particularly in patients exposed to textured implants for longer than 10 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Introduction The replacement of tissue lost through trauma, disease, or congenital anomalies is a continuing clinical challenge. Current reconstructive options, including autologous tissue transfer, allograft, xenograft, and alloplastic implantation, [...], Background. Bone engineering requires thicker three-dimensional constructs than the maximum thickness supported by standard cell-culture techniques (2 mm). A flow-perfusion bioreactor was developed to provide chemotransportation to thick (6 mm) scaffolds. Methods. Polyurethane scaffolds, seeded with murine preosteoblasts, were loaded into a novel bioreactor. Control scaffolds remained in static culture. Samples were harvested at days 2, 4, 6, and 8 and analyzed for cellular distribution, viability, metabolic activity, and density at the periphery and core. Results. By day 8, static scaffolds had a periphery cell density of 67% ± 5.0%, while in the core it was 0.3% ± 0.3%. Flow-perfused scaffolds demonstrated peripheral cell density of 94% ± 8.3% and core density of 76% ± 3.1% at day 8. Conclusions. Flow perfusion provides chemotransportation to thick scaffolds. This system may permit high throughput study of 3D tissues in vitro and enable prefabrication of biological constructs large enough to solve clinical problems.