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Introduction: The application of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare has expanded in recent years, and these tools such as ChatGPT to generate patient-facing information have garnered particular interest. Online cleft lip and palate (CL/P) surgical information supplied by academic/professional (A/P) sources was therefore evaluated against ChatGPT regarding accuracy, comprehensiveness, and clarity., Methods: 11 plastic and reconstructive surgeons and 29 non-medical individuals blindly compared responses written by ChatGPT or A/P sources to 30 frequently asked CL/P surgery questions. Surgeons indicated preference, determined accuracy, and scored comprehensiveness and clarity. Non-medical individuals indicated preference. Calculations of readability scores were determined using seven readability formulas. Statistical analysis of CL/P surgical online information was performed using paired t-tests., Results: Surgeons, 60.88% of the time, blindly preferred material generated by ChatGPT over A/P sources. Additionally, surgeons consistently indicated that ChatGPT-generated material was more comprehensive and had greater clarity. No significant difference was found between ChatGPT and resources provided by professional organizations in terms of accuracy. Among individuals with no medical background, ChatGPT-generated materials were preferred 60.46% of the time. For materials from both ChatGPT and A/P sources, readability scores surpassed advised levels for patient proficiency across seven readability formulas., Conclusion: As the prominence of ChatGPT-based language tools rises in the healthcare space, potential applications of the tools should be assessed by experts against existing high-quality sources. Our results indicate that ChatGPT is capable of producing high-quality material in terms of accuracy, comprehensiveness, and clarity preferred by both plastic surgeons and individuals with no medical background., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Maternal cigarette use is associated with the fetal development of orofacial clefts. Air pollution should be investigated for similar causation. We hypothesize that the incidence of non-syndromic cleft lip with or without palate (NSCLP) and non-syndromic cleft palate (NSCP) would be positively correlated with air pollution concentration., Methods: The incidence of NSCLP and NSCP per 1000 live births from 2016 to 2020 was extracted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Vital Statistics Database and merged with national reports on air pollution using the Environmental Protection Agency Air Quality Systems annual data. The most commonly reported pollutants were analyzed including benzene, sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), particulate matter (PM) 2.5, PM 10, ozone (O 3 ), and carbon monoxide (CO). Multivariable negative binomial and Poisson log-linear regression models evaluated the incidence of NSCLP and NSCP as a function of the pollutants, adjusting for race. All p-values are reported with Bonferroni correction., Results: The median NSCLP incidence was 0.22/1000 births, and isolated NSCP incidence was 0.18/1000 births. For NSCLP, SO 2 had a coefficient estimate (CE) of 0.60 (95% CI [0.23, 0.98], p < 0.007) and PM 2.5 had a CE of 0.20 (95% CI [0.10, 0.31], p < 0.005). Among isolated NSCP, no pollutants were found to be significantly associated., Conclusion: SO 2 and PM 2.5 were significantly correlated with increased incidence of NSCLP. The American people and perinatal practitioners should be aware of the connection to allow for risk reduction and in utero screening., (Copyright © 2023 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate outcomes and complications associated with infant ear molding at a single institution., Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of all infants who underwent ear molding using the EarWell Infant Ear Correction System with pediatric plastic surgery from October 2010 to March 2021. Types of ear anomalies, age at initiation, duration of treatment, gaps in treatment, comorbidities, and complications were extracted for included patients. The primary outcomes assessed were degree of ear anomaly correction and incidence of skin complications. Parents were also sent a questionnaire regarding their long-term satisfaction with the ear molding treatment process., Results: A total of 184 ears of 114 patients meeting inclusion criteria were treated during the study period. Mean age at treatment initiation was 21 days, and average duration of treatment was 40 days. Helical rim deformities (N = 50 ears) and lop ear (N = 40 ears) were the most common anomalies. A total of 181 ears (98.4%) achieved either a complete (N = 125 ears, 67.9%) or partial correction (N = 56 ears, 30.4%). The most common complications were eczematous dermatitis (N = 27 occurrences among 25 ears, 13.6%) and pressure ulcers (N = 23 occurrences among 21 ears, 12.5%). Infants who experienced a complication were 3.36 times more likely to achieve partial relative to complete correction ( P < 0.001; 95% confidence interval 1.66-6.81)., Conclusion: Ear molding is an effective treatment strategy for infant ear anomalies, with most patients achieving complete correction., Competing Interests: The authors have no financial interest to declare in relation to the content of this article., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of The American Society of Plastic Surgeons.)

We recently published the 3-month follow-up of 2 neonates with Robin sequence whose mandibular hypoplasia and restricted airway were successfully treated with an orthodontic airway plate (OAP) without surgical intervention. Both infants were successfully weaned off the OAP after several months of continuous use. We present the course of OAP treatment in these patients with a focus on breathing, feeding, and facial growth during their first year of life. Both infants demonstrated stable mandibular projection, resolution of obstructive sleep apnea, and normal development.

Background: Children undergoing cleft palate repair present challenges to postoperative management due to several factors that can complicate recovery. Utilization of multimodal analgesic protocols can improve outcomes in this population. We report experience designing and implementing an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathway for cleft palate repair to optimize postoperative recovery., Aims: The primary aim was to implement an ERAS pathway with >70% bundle adherence to achieve a 30% reduction in postoperative opioid consumption within 12 months. Our secondary aims assessed intraoperative opioid consumption, length of stay, timeliness of oral intake, and respiratory recovery., Methods: A multidisciplinary team of perioperative providers developed an ERAS pathway for cleft palate patients. Key drivers included patient and provider education, formal pathway creation and implementation, multimodal pain therapy, and target-based care. Interventions included maxillary nerve blockade and enhanced intra- and postoperative medication regimens. Outcomes were displayed as statistical process control charts., Results: Pathway compliance was 77.0%. Patients during the intervention period (n = 39) experienced a 49% reduction in postoperative opioid consumption (p < .0001) relative to our historical cohort (n = 63), with a mean difference of -0.33 ± 0.11 mg/kg (95% CI -0.55 to -0.12 mg/kg). Intraoperative opioid consumption was reduced by 36% (p = .002), with a mean difference of -0.27 ± 0.09 mg/kg (95% CI -0.45 to -0.09 mg/kg). Additionally, patients in the intervention group had a 45% reduction in time to first oral intake (p = .02) relative to our historical cohort, with a mean difference of -3.81 ± 1.56 h (95% CI -6.9 to -0.70). There was no difference in PACU or hospital length of stay, but there was a significant reduction in variance of all secondary outcomes., Conclusion: Opioid reduction and improved timeliness of oral intake is possible with an ERAS protocol for cleft palate repair, but our protocol did not alter PACU or hospital length of stay., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: Mandibular distraction osteogenesis (MDO) is frequently performed to address airway obstruction in patients with Pierre Robin sequence (PRS), though more recently the technique of orthodontic airway plating (OAP) has gained traction. We aimed to evaluate OAP compared to MDO for airway obstruction in PRS., Design: A systematic literature search across PubMed, Embase, and Google Scholar identified all studies published in English, which involved MDO or any form of OAP as treatments for PRS. All relevant articles were reviewed in detail and reported on, adhering to PRISMA guidelines., Main Outcome Measures: Airway (tracheostomy avoidance, decannulation rate), feeding (full oral feeding tolerance)., Results: Literature search identified 970 articles, of which 42 MDO studies and 9 OAP studies met criteria for review. A total of 1159 individuals were treated with MDO, and 322 individuals were treated with OAP. Primary outcomes appear similar for MDO and OAP at face value; however, this must be interpreted with different pretreatment contexts in mind., Conclusions: Orthodontic airway plating may be considered for airway obstruction in PRS, as some airway-related and feeding-related outcomes appear similar with MDO, per existing evidence in the literature. However, since PRS severity differed between studies, OAP cannot be uniformly considered a replacement for MDO. Further research is required to more comprehensively assess these treatment modalities inclusive of metrics that allow for direct comparison.

Objective: It is important for health care education materials to be easily understood by caretakers of children requiring craniofacial surgery. This study aimed to analyze the readability of Google search results as they pertain to "Cleft Palate Surgery" and "Palatoplasty." Additionally, the study included a search from several locations globally to identify possible geographic differences., Design: Google searches of the terms "Cleft Palate Surgery" and "Palatoplasty" were performed. Additionally, searches of only "Cleft Palate Surgery" were run from several internet protocol addresses globally., Main Outcome Measures: Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level and Readability Ease, Gunning Fog Index, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) index, and Coleman-Liau Index., Results: Search results for "Cleft Palate Surgery" were easier to read and comprehend compared to search results for "Palatoplasty." Mean Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level scores were 7.0 and 10.11, respectively ( P = .0018). Mean Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease scores were 61.29 and 40.71, respectively ( P = .0003). Mean Gunning Fog Index scores were 8.370 and 10.34, respectively ( P = .0458). Mean SMOG Index scores were 6.84 and 8.47, respectively ( P = .0260). Mean Coleman-Liau Index scores were 12.95 and 15.33, respectively ( P = .0281). No significant differences were found in any of the readability measures based on global location., Conclusions: Although some improvement can be made, craniofacial surgeons can be confident in the online information pertaining to cleft palate repair, regardless of where the search is performed from. The average readability of the top search results for "Cleft Palate Surgery" is around the seventh-grade reading level (US educational system) and compares favorably to other health care readability analyses.

Despite promising outcomes for >50 years, nonsurgical orthodontic airway plates (OAP) are only infrequently offered for babies with Robin sequence in a few parts of the world. This article demonstrates possibility of providing functional improvement using an OAP to help these babies overcome their functional and structural difficulties on their own. Two consecutively treated cases are presented exemplifying that OAP treatment that had originated from Europe is reproducible and effective in an institution in the United States.

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the comparative incidence of obstructive sleep apnea following velopharyngeal insufficiency surgery in the United States., Methods: A retrospective analysis of cleft and noncleft pediatric patients who underwent velopharyngeal insufficiency surgery was performed using the IBM MarketScan Commercial Database. Patients were tracked longitudinally from 2007 to 2016 to evaluate the incidence of obstructive sleep apnea. Multivariable regression was used to evaluate predictors of postoperative obstructive sleep apnea and surgical revision., Results: A total of 1098 patients underwent a pharyngeal flap (61.0 percent), sphincter pharyngoplasty (22.2 percent), or palatal lengthening with or without island flaps (16.8 percent). Diagnoses were predominantly cleft lip and/or palate (52.8 percent) and congenital oropharyngeal anomalies (42.6 percent). Eighty patients (7.3 percent) developed obstructive sleep apnea at an average of 10.2 months postoperatively. Predictors of obstructive sleep apnea included older age (p = 0.014) and head and neck neoplasm (p = 0.011). The obstructive sleep apnea rate following sphincter pharyngoplasty was 11.1 percent, compared to 7.2 percent after pharyngeal flap surgery. Compared to sphincter pharyngoplasty, pharyngeal flap surgery was associated with a lower risk of further surgery (OR, 0.43; p = 0.010). Of patients with cleft lip and/or palate, 35 developed obstructive sleep apnea (6.0 percent) without a significant association with procedure type., Conclusions: In this national claims database analysis of cleft and noncleft pediatric patients, the rate of obstructive sleep apnea following velopharyngeal insufficiency surgery was not significantly different for pharyngeal flap compared to sphincter pharyngoplasty., Clinical Question/level of Evidence: Therapeutic, III., (Copyright © 2021 by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.)

Abstract: Cranioplasty lies at the intersection of neurosurgery and plastic surgery, though little is known about the impact of plastic surgery involvement. The authors hypothesized that adult cranioplasty patients at higher volume plastic surgery facilities would have improved inpatient outcomes. Adult cranioplasty encounters were extracted from the National Inpatient Sample from 2012 to 2014 based on International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes. Regression models included the following variables: age, gender, race/ethnicity, Elixhauser Comorbidity Index, payer, hospital size, region, and urban/teaching status. Outcomes included odds of receiving a flap, perioperative patient safety indicators, and mortality. The weighted sample included 49,305 encounters with diagnoses of neoplasm (31.2%), trauma (56.4%), infection (5.2%), a combination of these diagnoses (3.9%), or other diagnoses (3.2%). There were 1375 inpatient mortalities, of which 10 (0.7%) underwent a flap procedure. On multivariable regression, higher volume plastic surgery facilities and all diagnoses except uncertain neoplasm were associated with an increased likelihood of a flap procedure during the admission for cranioplasty, using benign neoplasm as a reference (P < 0.001). Plastic surgery facility volume was not significantly associated with likelihood of a patient safety indicator event. The highest volume plastic surgery quartile was associated with lower likelihood of inpatient mortality (P = 0.008). These findings support plastic surgery involvement in adult cranioplasty and suggest that these patients are best served at high volume plastic surgery facilities., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2020 by Mutaz B. Habal, MD.)

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to evaluate national differences in inpatient outcomes and predictors of treatment type for endoscopic versus open surgery for craniosynostosis, with particular consideration of racial, socioeconomic, and geographic factors. The 2016 Kids' Inpatient Database was queried to identify patients aged 3 years or younger who underwent craniectomy for craniosynostosis. Multivariable regression modeled treatment type based on patient-level (gender, race, income, comorbidities, payer) and facility-level (bed size, region, teaching status) variables, and was used to assess outcomes. The weighted sample included 474 patients, of whom 81.9% (N = 388) of patients underwent open repair and 18.1% (N = 86) underwent endoscopic repair. A total of 81.1% of patients were under 1 year of age and 12.0% were syndromic. Patients were more likely to be treated open if they were older (odds ratio [OR] 3.07, P = 0.005) or syndromic (OR 8.56, P = 0.029). Patients who underwent open repair were more likely to receive transfusions (OR 2.86, P = 0.021), and have longer lengths of stay (OR 1.02, P < 0.001) and more costly hospitalizations (OR 5228.78, P = 0.018). Complications did not significantly vary between procedure type. The authors conclude that United States national data confirm benefits of endoscopic surgery, including a lower risk of transfusion, shorter hospital stay, and lower hospital costs, without a significant change in the rate of inpatient complications. Racial, socioeconomic, and geographic factors were not significantly associated with treatment type or perioperative surgical outcomes. Future studies are needed to further investigate the influence of such variables on access to craniofacial care., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2020 by Mutaz B. Habal, MD.)

Objective: To increase access to high-quality and multiregional databases in global epidemiology of cleft surgeries through partnership with an NGO., Design: The study retrospectively analyzes 34 801 primary palate surgeries in 70+ countries from the 2016 electronic health records of an non-governmental organization (NGO). The study also utilizes the Kids' Inpatient Database to compare the epidemiology of primary cleft palate surgeries in the United States., Participants: Patient records of those undergoing primary cleft palate surgeries only., Main Outcome Measures: Region, age, sex, type of cleft, laterality of cleft., Results: Key findings show that average age of those receiving primary cleft palate surgery in the low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) was 1.95 years. The distribution of males and females receiving surgery corresponds to the US national data. More hard cleft palates were on the left side (66.18%) than the right side (33.82%), independent of gender and region., Conclusions: Databases from an established NGO can be used to enhance our understanding of the disease characteristics in these regions. By increasing the information available regarding cleft surgeries in the LMIC, we hope to increase awareness of the similarities and differences in surgeries across various regions, as part of an effort to inform the goals set by Global Surgery 2030 initiative by the Lancet Commission.

Background: The extended Mohler rotation-advancement repair and the Fisher anatomic subunit repair are commonly used for the surgical correction of unilateral cleft lip. The rotation-advancement repair was the initial technique of choice by the senior surgeon. However, due to recurring suboptimal aesthetic results, the senior surgeon transitioned to the anatomic subunit repair. This study was performed to compare the outcomes of the rotation-advancement repair and the anatomic subunit repair., Methods: A retrospective study of all consecutive patients undergoing unilateral cleft lip repair by the senior author between 2009 and 2016 was conducted. Demographic data, the presence of scar shortening/contraction, hypertrophy, widening, and revision rates were recorded., Results: There were 68 patients identified for inclusion. Thirty-four patients had a rotation-advancement repair and 35 had an anatomic subunit repair. Twelve patients (36%) with the rotation-advancement repair and 1 patient (2.9%) with the subunit repair required anterior lip revision ( P < 0.001). Conversely, 2 patients (6.1%) with the rotation-advancement repair and 13 patients (37.1%) with the subunit repair required minor debulking of excess red vermilion fullness ( P < 0.005)., Conclusions: Transitioning from the rotation-advancement repair to the anatomic subunit repair has resulted in improved lip aesthetics with decreased incidence of scar contracture, hypertrophy, and widening as evidenced by a decrease in the revision rate for these suboptimal scars. However, the rate of debulking procedures of the red vermilion did increase early in the adoption of the anatomic subunit repair, requiring minor modifications in the technique., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The authors have no financial interest to declare in relation to the content of this article., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of The American Society of Plastic Surgeons.)

Background: Aesthetic outcomes of unilateral cleft lip repairs have important psychosocial implications for patients who are heavily influenced by social perceptions. Online crowdsourcing offers the unique potential to efficiently recruit large numbers of laypeople to assess public perception. The aim of this study was to use the online crowdsourcing platform Mechanical Turk to compare the postoperative outcomes of Fisher, Millard, and Mohler cleft lip repair techniques., Methods: Two hundred fifty-four participants were recruited through Mechanical Turk to evaluate 29 cropped and deidentified photographs of children, 8 photographs were controls without cleft lips and 21 were children with unilateral cleft lips who had undergone Fisher, Millard, or Mohler repairs (7 in each group). Respondents were asked whether a scar was present, whether they would be personally satisfied with the surgical result and used a Likert scale from 1 to 5 to rate overall appearance, scar severity, and nasal symmetry., Results: Fewer respondents reported that a scar was present when assessing postoperative photographs of Fisher repairs (70.3 ± 8.6%) compared with Millard (92.0 ± 1.5%) or Mohler (88.8 ± 3.1%) repairs. Average rating of scar severity was also lower for Fisher (1.9) compared with Millard (2.6) or Mohler (2.6) repairs. Average ratings of nose symmetry, general appearance, and satisfaction with operative result were not statistically significantly different between the repair groups., Conclusions: This study demonstrates the potential of online crowdsourcing to assess public perception of plastic surgery outcomes. The Mechanical Turk platform offers a reduction in selection bias, ease of study design, and enhanced efficiency of large-scale participant recruitment. Results indicate that the Fisher repair led to the most favored aesthetic outcomes compared with the Millard and Mohler techniques, particularly with regard to scar severity. Crowdsourcing is a powerful tool to assess layperson perception of plastic surgery outcomes and can be used to better guide surgical decision-making.

Introduction: Bone grafting of alveolar clefts is routinely performed with cancellous bone harvested from the iliac crest. Graft site morbidity is frequently seen, with early postoperative pain being one of the most common complaints. Liposomal bupivacaine (LB) has been demonstrated to provide improvement in postoperative pain for patients undergoing bunionectomy or hemorrhoidectomy, which may translate to patients requiring iliac crest bone graft harvest., Methods: Thirty-eight patients undergoing iliac crest bone harvest were included in the study. Twenty-one patients underwent open iliac crest bone graft harvest with administration of 0.25% bupivacaine at the hip donor site, while 17 patients received local infiltration of 1.3% liposomal bupivacaine. Patient-reported pain scores, total narcotic use, length of stay, and postoperative steps were monitored., Results: There were no significant differences in age, weight, distribution of clefts, or choice of donor hip between the two groups. There were no significant differences in length of hospitalization stay. However, differences were noted in average postoperative pain scores at five of six time points in the first 24 h, total oral morphine equivalents administered (4.7 ± 5.3 vs. 14.3 ± 12.0), and steps at postoperative days one to three (p < 0.001, for all three days) for patients receiving 1.3% LB versus 0.25% bupivacaine, respectively., Conclusion: Reduced pain scores and increased postoperative activity highlight the potential of LB to improve postoperative pain management in children undergoing iliac crest bone harvest for alveolar bone grafting., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

BACKGROUNDRecessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) patients have mutations in the COL7A1 gene and thus lack functional type VII collagen (C7) protein; they have marked skin fragility and blistering. This single-center phase 1/2a open-label study evaluated the long-term efficacy, safety, and patient-reported outcomes in RDEB patients treated with gene-corrected autologous cell therapy.METHODSAutologous keratinocytes were isolated from participant skin biopsies. Epidermal sheets were prepared from cells transduced with a retrovirus carrying the full-length human COL7A1 gene. These gene-corrected autologous epidermal sheets measured 5 × 7 cm (35 cm2) and were transplanted onto 6 wound sites in each of 7 adult participants (n = 42 sites total) from 2013 to 2017. Participants were followed for 2 to 5 years.RESULTSNo participants experienced any serious related adverse events. Wound healing of 50% or greater by Investigator Global Assessment was present in 95% (36 of 38) of treated wounds versus 0% (0 of 6) of untreated control wounds at 6 months (P < 0.0001). At year 1, 68% (26 of 38) of treated wounds had 50% or greater healing compared with 17% (1 of 6) of control wounds (P = 0.025). At year 2, 71% (27 of 38) of treated wounds had 50% or greater healing compared with 17% (1 of 6) of control wounds (P = 0.019).CONCLUSIONC7 expression persisted up to 2 years after treatment in 2 participants. Treated wounds with 50% or greater healing demonstrated improvement in patient-reported pain, itch, and wound durability. This study provides additional data to support the clinically meaningful benefit of treating chronic RDEB wounds with ex vivo, C7 gene-corrected autologous cell therapy. This approach was safe and promoted wound healing that was associated with improved patient-reported outcomes.TRIAL REGISTRATIONClinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT01263379.FUNDINGEpidermolysis Bullosa Research Partnership, Epidermolysis Bullosa Medical Research Foundation, NIH R01 AR055914, Office of Research and Development at the Palo Alto Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, and the Dermatology Foundation.

Background: Cleft lip repair is essential to restoring physiologic function and ensuring social and psychological well-being in children with orofacial clefts. It is important to critically study various techniques to understand the elements of the lip and nasal repair that contribute to favorable results. Here, we use eye-tracking technology to evaluate how viewers analyze images of cleft lips repaired by the Fisher, Millard, or Mohler techniques., Methods: Thirty viewers were shown 5 images without deformity and 5 images each of unilateral cleft lips repaired by the Fisher, Millard, or Mohler techniques. Viewers assessed the esthetic quality of images on a Likert scale while eye-tracking technology analyzed their gaze patterns., Results: Of the 3 repair techniques, viewers found Fisher repairs most esthetically pleasing (mean ± standard error, 6.91 ± 0.13). Mohler repairs were next most attractive at (6.47 ± 0.13), followed by Millard repairs at (5.60 ± 0.14). The proportion of time spent in fixed gaze on the nose and upper lip was greatest for Millard repairs (58.3% ± 0.4%) and least for Fisher repairs (51.9% ± 0.5%). Viewers fixated most frequently on the nose and upper lip in Millard repairs (83.2% ± 0.5%) and least frequently in Fisher repairs (75.3% ± 0.5%). When examining the Millard compared with Fisher and Mohler repairs, viewers spent more time and fixations on the ipsilateral lip, nose, and repair scar than on the contralateral lip., Conclusions: The esthetics of the Fisher repair appear to be favored as measured by Likert scores and gaze data. Eye-tracking technology may be a useful tool to assess outcomes in plastic surgery.

Background: Techniques vary for addressing the nasal floor during cleft lip repair in patients with a cleft lip and palate. Sometimes, no closure is performed, leaving a symptomatic alveolar fistula until the time of alveolar bone grafting. Often, medial and lateral skin flaps are used, but these are often thin and unreliable. Anatomical nasal lining flaps are used to improve closure with robust, well-vascularized flaps that anatomically close the nasal floor., Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed to identify patients with a unilateral or bilateral cleft lip and palate who underwent primary cleft lip repair with nasal lining flaps or with medial and lateral flaps. The primary outcome was presence of a symptomatic and/or visible oronasal fistula., Results: Sixty-four patients were included. Thirty-seven underwent closure with nasal lining flaps, whereas 27 underwent closure using Millard medial and lateral flaps. The rate of symptomatic/visible fistulas after cleft palate repair was 19 percent (seven of 37) for patients with nasal lining flaps and 44 percent (12 of 27) for patients with medial and lateral flaps (p = 0.0509, Fisher's exact test). The alveolar fistula rate was 3 percent (one of 37) for patients with nasal lining flaps and 30 percent (eight of 27) for patients with medial and lateral flaps (p = 0.0032, Fisher's exact test)., Conclusions: Nasal lining flaps at the time of cleft lip repair effectively close the anterior nasal floor in patients with a unilateral or bilateral cleft lip and palate. Decreasing the presence of alveolar fistulas after cleft palate repair improves the quality of life for patients with cleft deformities., Clinical Question/level of Evidence: Therapeutic, III.

Importance: Current therapeutic options for patients with extracranial head and neck arteriovenous malformations are limited. Surgical intervention, such as sclerotherapy or resection, often result in rapid recurrence and progression of disease., Objective: To assess the efficacy and tolerability of sirolimus as an adjuvant therapy for endovascular embolization in the management of complicated extracranial head and neck arteriovenous malformations., Design, Setting, and Participants: This case series examined 6 patients with extracranial head and neck arteriovenous malformations treated from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2017, at a multidisciplinary vascular anomalies clinic within Stanford Hospital and Clinics., Intervention: Initiation of sirolimus at least 1 month prior to endovascular embolization, targeting a trough level of 10 to 15 ng/mL throughout the course of the endovascular embolization series and continued for at least 1 month after the series., Main Outcomes and Measures: Clinical manifestations; disease progression and overall response to treatment were assessed via clinical evaluation and radiographic imaging., Results: All 6 patients (4 male and 2 female patients; mean age, 24.5 years [range, 9-44 years]) responded favorably to the combination of sirolimus therapy followed by endovascular embolization, and 4 patients exhibited a near-complete response. The median duration of follow-up was 19 months (range, 6-40 months). One patient discontinued sirolimus soon after embolization and experienced regrowth of the arteriovenous malformation after 1 year. Sirolimus was resumed, which has stabilized his disease for more than 2 years. Mild adverse effects were noted in 4 patients. The combination therapy was well tolerated in all patients. One patient developed skin ulceration after embolization and required surgical debridement. Another patient developed pulmonary microthrombi after embolization with cyanoacrylate glue that resolved with a brief course of anti-inflammatory therapy., Conclusions and Relevance: Although further prospective trials are needed, this report suggests the benefit of a mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor as an adjuvant therapy for surgical embolization of complex, extracranial head and neck arteriovenous malformations. The optimal dosing and therapeutic duration of sirolimus treatment before and after embolization remain to be determined.

Cancer is the abnormal growth of cells that tend to proliferate in an uncontrolled way. About 32.6 million people in the world are affected by different types of cancer; 456 000 have esophageal cancer, which is the eighth most common cancer and the sixth most common cause of cancer-related deaths with a toll of 400 000 in 2012. About 80% of cases were reported from the less developed regions of the world. An incidence ratio of 2.4 : 1 for men and women reveals the gender disparity. Esophageal cancer is mainly of two types, namely, squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. Most of the studies show a positive correlation of esophageal cancer with alcohol and tobacco consumption, but a negative correlation with fruit and vegetable intake. The type and amount of cereal, fat, meat and beverages consumed are also under study. Significant statistical synergistic interaction has been registered in studies considering the joint effect of the amount of beverage swallowed and its temperature, especially among heavy consumers. The role of non-nutritional components is gaining increasing attention because of their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagenic and anti-carcinogenic properties. Socioeconomic status is another factor that cannot be ignored. Nevertheless, the predominant cause appears to be different in different regions, and in spite of the great advancements in the medical field, this still remains an enigma for researchers.

Background: Cleft palate repair is a challenging procedure for cleft surgeons to teach. A novel high-fidelity cleft palate simulator has been described for surgeon training. This study evaluates the simulator's effect on surgeon procedural confidence and palatoplasty knowledge among learners., Methods: Plastic surgery trainees attended a palatoplasty workshop consisting of a didactic session on cleft palate anatomy and repair followed by a simulation session. Participants completed a procedural confidence questionnaire and palatoplasty knowledge test immediately before and after the workshop., Results: All participants reported significantly higher procedural confidence following the workshop (p < 0.05). Those with cleft palate surgery experience had higher procedural confidence before (p < 0.001) and after (p < 0.001) the session. Palatoplasty knowledge test scores increased in 90 percent of participants. The mean baseline test score was 28 ± 10.89 percent and 43 ± 18.86 percent following the workshop. Those with prior cleft palate experience did not have higher mean baseline test scores than those with no experience (30 percent versus 28 percent; p > 0.05), but did have significantly higher scores after the workshop (61 percent versus 35 percent; p < 0.05). All trainees strongly agreed or agreed that the simulator should be integrated into training and they would use it again., Conclusions: This study demonstrates the effective use of a novel cleft palate simulator as a training tool to teach palatoplasty. Improved procedural confidence and knowledge were observed after a single session, with benefits seen among trainees both with and without previous cleft experience.

Background: Our institution has incorporated the use of objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE) in our residency curriculum. The OSCE provides trainee education and evaluation while addressing the six Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) core competencies required within training programs. We report our program's experience with the first cleft OSCE ever conducted., Methods: A validated method for administration of OSCEs currently used at our medical school was utilized for residents in postgraduate years (PGYs) 3 through 6. The video-recorded patient encounter involved a 1-month-old newborn with a unilateral cleft lip and palate and used standardized patient actors as parents. A post-encounter written exam assessed medical knowledge. A questionnaire regarding the utility of the exercise was administered to residents after the OSCE. Results were evaluated using analysis of variance (P < .05)., Results: There was a positive correlation with increasing level of training in terms of medical knowledge (P < .04). Residents in PGY-3 and PGY-4 demonstrated lower understanding of the surgical markings and details of the lip repair compared with those in PGY-5 and PGY-6 (P < .03). All residents performed similarly on evaluation of the remaining ACGME core competencies. All residents agreed that this was a realistic and useful encounter., Conclusion: Results of our cleft OSCE demonstrate that medical knowledge regarding the evaluation, management, and surgical repair of patients is less in midlevel residents. All residents expressed an interest in earlier exposure to pediatric patients in the training period. Although a cleft OSCE does not replace clinical rotations, it is a valuable adjunct to training and evaluation of trainees, particularly for junior residents.

Background: Comprehensive aesthetic surgery training continues to be a challenge for residency programs. Our residency program developed a rhinoplasty-based objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) based upon validated methods as part of the residency education curriculum. We report our experience with the rhinoplasty-based OSCE and offer guidance to its incorporation within residency programs., Methods: The encounter involved resident evaluation and operative planning for a standardized patient desiring a rhinoplasty procedure. Validated OSCE methods currently used at our medical school were implemented. Residents were evaluated on appropriate history taking, physical examination, and explanation to the patient of treatment options. Examination results were evaluated using analysis of variance (statistical significance P<0.05)., Results: Twelve residents completed the rhinoplasty OSCE. Medical knowledge assessment showed increasing performance with clinical year, 50% versus 84% for postgraduate year 3 and 6, respectively (P<0.005). Systems-based practice scores showed that all residents incorrectly submitted forms for billing and operative scheduling. All residents confirmed that the OSCE realistically represents an actual patient encounter. All faculty confirmed the utility of evaluating resident performance during the OSCE as a useful assessment tool for determining the Next Accreditation System Milestone level., Conclusions: Aesthetic surgery training for residents will require innovative methods for education. Our examination showed a program-educational weakness in billing/coding, an area that will be improved upon by topic-specific lectures. A thoroughly developed OSCE can provide a realistic educational opportunity to improve residents' performance on the nonoperative aspects of rhinoplasty and should be considered as an adjunct to resident education., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of regenerative tissue matrix (Alloderm) as an oral layer for difficult anterior palatal fistula closure., Materials and Methods: The authors have tested the feasibility of a novel surgical technique of adding a regenerative tissue matrix (Alloderm) as an oral layer for closure of recalcitrant large anterior palatal fistulae and report the outcome of the first 12 patients in this pilot study. Patients with recurrent large fistula who otherwise would require either a local pedicled flap, free flap, or an obturator were treated with this technique and followed up for at least 6 months to monitor the progress of healing., Results: Of the 12 patients, 8 patients (66.7%) had complete closure of the fistula, and 2 patients (16.7%) showed reduction in size of the fistula to the extent that symptoms were eliminated, for an overall success rate of 83.3% (10/12 patients). Premature graft loss and recurrence of the fistula were noted in 2 patients (16.7%)., Conclusion: Alloderm provided an adequate barrier allowing healing to occur unimpeded and allowed closure of the palatal fistula. In our experience, this new technique using regenerative tissue matrix as an adjunct to the oral layer in large anterior palatal fistula has an advantage compared to other more invasive complex procedures and has been shown to provide satisfactory results.

Background: Unilateral coronal synostosis (UCS) often causes notable facial twist in affected patients. This condition occurs when the midface deviates toward the synostotic side, and the lower face deviates away from the synostotic side. The exact underlying mechanism for this phenomenon remains unclear. It has been proposed that premature fusion of facial sutures may play a role in the formation of facial twist. The purpose of this study was to determine whether asymmetrical facial suture fusion is present in patients with UCS., Methods: A single-center retrospective study was designed. Our study group consisted of 23 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of isolated UCS. Our control group consisted of 17 age-matched patients with deformational plagiocephaly and 11 normocephalic control subjects. The computed tomography scans of the faces were examined for the presence of facial suture fusions on both synostotic and nonsynostotic sides. All results with P < 0.05 were considered statistically significant., Results: We found an increased incidence of fusion of the frontomaxillary, nasofrontal, and nasomaxillary sutures on the side of synostosis in UCS when compared with the nonsynostotic side and when compared with patients with deformational plagiocephaly or normocephalic patients., Conclusions: Asymmetrical premature fusion of facial sutures can potentially be contributing to the facial twist that is seen in patients with UCS.

Chondromyxoid fibroma is a rare bony tumor that usually presents in the lower extremities of middle-aged adults. Involvement of the craniofacial skeleton is extremely rare. We present the unique case of an adolescent boy with a chondromyxoid fibroma of the mandible. The chondromyxoid fibroma in this patient recurred after initial treatment with curettage. We treated the recurrence with resection of the involved mandible and immediate reconstruction using a vascularized musculo-osseus seventh rib flap ("Eve procedure"). Despite complex reconstruction in adolescents due to skeletal immaturity, the rib flap has successfully grown with the patient up to 3 years postoperatively. Therefore, we believe the musculo-osseus rib flap is a feasible solution for complex ramus and condyle reconstruction of the growing mandible in the adolescent patient.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess length of stay (LOS), complication rates, costs, and charges of cleft palate repair by various hospital types. We hypothesized that pediatric hospitals would have shorter LOS, fewer complications, and lower costs and charges., Methods: Patients were identified by ICD-9-CM code for cleft palate repair (27.62) using databases from the Agency for Health Research and Quality Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Kids' Inpatient Database from 1997, 2000, 2003, and 2006. Patient characteristics (age, race, gender, insurer, comorbidities) and facility resources (hospital beds, cleft palate surgery volume, nurse-to-bed ratio, pediatric intensive care unit [PICU], PICU intensivist, burn unit) were examined. Hospitals types included pediatric hospitals, general hospitals, and nonaccredited children's hospital. For each hospital type, mean LOS, extended LOS (LOS > 2), and complications were assessed., Results: A total of 14,153 patients had cleft repair with a mean LOS of 2 days (SD, 0.04), mortality 0.01%, transfusion 0.3%, and complication <3%. Pediatric hospitals had fewer patients with extended hospital stays. Patients with an LOS >2 days were associated with fourfold higher complications. Comorbidities increased the relative rate of LOS >2 days by 90%. Pediatric hospitals had the highest comorbidities, yet 35% decreased the relative rate of LOS >2 days. Median total charges of $10,835 increased to $15,104 with LOS >2 days; median total costs of $4367 increased to $6148 with a LOS >2 days., Conclusion: Pediatric hospitals had higher comorbidities yet shorter LOS. Pediatric resources significantly decreased the relative rate of LOS >2 days. Median costs and charges increased by 41% with LOS >2 days. Further research is needed to understand additional aspects of pediatric hospitals associated with lower LOS.

The treatment of facial palsy is a complex and challenging area of plastic surgery. Two distinct anatomical regions and functions are the focus of interest when managing facial palsy: (1) reanimation of the eyelids and (2) reconstruction of the smile. This review will focus on the treatment of ocular manifestations of facial palsy. The principles of eyelid rehabilitation will be presented along with a discussion of surgical and nonsurgical treatment options.

Objective : Our study aimed to use national data to assess the perioperative outcomes of craniosynostosis surgical repair. Design : Data were obtained from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Kids Inpatient Database from 1997, 2000, 2003, and 2006. Setting : Community hospitals in the United States. Patients : The cohort was identified using the ICD-9-CM procedure codes for craniosynostosis surgical repair (2.01, 2.03, 2.04, 2.06). Main Outcome Measures(s) : We determined patient and hospital characteristics. We clustered patients by age group (<7 months, 7 to 12 months, 1 to 3 years) and assessed mortality, comorbidities, mean length of stay (LOS), and total charge. We performed logistic regression with our dependent variable being longer average hospital stay: LOS > 4.2 days. Results : We found 3426 patients. Average age at the time of surgery was 181 days (SD 84). Average length of stay was 4.2 days. The majority of the patients were boys (66%), white (71%), and insured (93%). Nearly all patients underwent surgery in a teaching hospital (98%) in urban centers (99%). Approximately 10% of patients experienced an acute complication, most commonly hemorrhages or hematomas and airway or respiratory failure. Patients ages 1 to 3 years had the highest rates of comorbidities and a longer LOS. Mortality rate was <1%. Conclusions : Craniosynostosis surgery is safe with low rates of mortality and acute complications. LOS >4.2 appears to be associated more with comorbidities than with complications. Higher rates of comorbidities and LOS >4.2 days for patients age 1 to 3 years warrant addition research to assess potential barriers to care.

Fibrosarcomas are rare malignant soft-tissue tumors occurring mostly in infants younger than 1 year of age. Fibrosarcomas can ulcerate and cause various complications, which could threaten a fetus in utero or a child in the early neonatal period. We report a unique case of congenital infantile fibrosarcoma of the lower leg, its treatment and pathology. The large expansive and destructive lesion was not appreciated on routine prenatal ultrasound exams at 20 and 33 weeks gestation. The newborn required immediate emergency surgical intervention after delivery to prevent death by hemorrhagic shock. Initial debulking of the tumor was performed and hemostasis was attained on the day of birth. The child was resuscitated and definitive treatment of the leg was deferred until a pathologic diagnosis was obtained. Given the extent of the fibrosarcoma, the lower leg was not salvageable and the patient received a through-the-knee amputation in the neonatal period. The patient is free of disease at 2 years of age.

The treatment of facial palsy is a complex and challenging area of plastic surgery. Microsurgical innovation has introduced the modern age of dynamic reconstruction for facial palsy. This review will focus on microsurgical reconstruction for smile restoration in patients with long-standing facial palsy. The most common donor muscles and nerves will be presented. The advantages and disadvantages of single-stage versus multi-stage reconstruction will be discussed. Contemporary trends will be highlighted and the authors' preferred practice outlined., (Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The bilateral cleft lip and nasal deformity presents a complex challenge for repair. Surgical techniques continue to evolve and are focused on primary anatomic realignment of the tissues. This can be accomplished in a single-stage or two-stage repair early in infancy to provide a foundation for future growth of the lip and nasal tissue. Most cleft surgeons currently perform a single-stage repair for simplifying patient care. Certain institutions utilize presurgical orthopedics for alignment of the maxillary segments and nasal shaping. Methods for the bilateral cleft lip repair are combined with various open and closed rhinoplasty techniques to achieve improved correction of the primary nasal deformity. There is recent focus on shaping the nose for columellar and tip support, as well as alar contour and alar base position. The authors will present a new technique for closure of the nasal floor to prevent the alveolar cleft fistula. Although the alveolar fistula is closed, alveolar bone grafting is still required at the usual time in dental development to fuse the maxilla. It is paramount to try and minimize the stigmata of secondary deformities that historically have been characteristic of the repaired bilateral cleft lip. A properly planned and executed repair reduces the number of revisions and can spare a child from living with secondary deformities.

Nonsyndromic craniosynostosis is more commonly encountered than syndromic cases in pediatric craniofacial surgery. Affected children display characteristic phenotypes according to the suture or sutures involved. Restricted normal growth of the skull can lead to increased intracranial pressure and changes in brain morphology, which in turn may contribute to neurocognitive deficiency. Management has primarily focused on surgical correction of fused sutures prior to 12 months of age to optimize correction of the deformity and to ameliorate the effects of increased intracranial pressure. However, emphasis has recently shifted to better understanding the pathogenesis of neurocognitive impairment observed in these children, along with genetic mutations that contribute to premature suture fusion. Such understanding will provide opportunities for earlier and more specific neurocognitive interventions and for the development of targeted genetic therapy to prevent pathologic suture fusion. The authors review the common types of nonsyndromic craniosynostosis and the epidemiological, genetic, and neurodevelopmental details that are currently known from the literature. In addition, they present the rationale for surgical correction, offer suggestions for timing of intervention, and present some nuances of techniques that they find important in producing consistent results.

Background: There is controversy regarding whether the frontal bossing associated with sagittal synostosis requires direct surgical correction or spontaneously remodels after isolated posterior cranial expansion. The authors retrospectively measured changes in frontal bone morphology in patients with isolated sagittal synostosis 2 years after open posterior and midvault cranial expansion and compared these changes with those occurring in age-comparable healthy control groups., Methods: Forty-three patients age 1 year or younger (mean, 6 months) with sagittal synostosis underwent computed tomography scan digital analysis immediately after and 2 years after posterior-middle cranial vault expansion. Quantitative angular and linear measures were taken along the midsagittal and axial planes to capture both aspects of frontal bossing. The change in values over the 2 years were compared with healthy controls with normal computed tomography scans taken to rule out head trauma., Results: All measures indicative of frontal bossing decreased significantly from the time of posterior-middle vault expansion to 2 years postoperatively. Whereas the majority of patients at time of the operation had frontal bossing measures greater than two standard deviations outside the age-comparable control mean, almost all patients were within two standard deviations of the norm 2 years later. Lateral forehead bossing and anterior cranial growth was greater the older the patient was at the time of the operation, suggesting that the more time that passed before the operation, the more compensatory anterior fossa growth occurred. Central forehead position relative to the anterior cranial base was greatest in the younger patients at the time of operation, suggesting that a central forehead bulge was an early compensatory response to premature sagittal fusion., Conclusions: As a group, patients with sagittal synostosis start to normalize their forehead morphology within 2 years if an isolated posterior operation is performed at 1 year of age or younger, and this occurs by a combination of restriction of growth and reduction relative to patients without synostosis. This protocol decreases the risks of intraoperative positioning, forehead contour deformities, and two-stage operations., Clinical Question/level of Evidence: Therapeutic, III.

Background: Trichloroacetic acid is a commonly utilized agent for chemical resurfacing of the face. Jessner's solution in combination with trichloroacetic acid has been previously described for the treatment of facial rhytids in the dermatology literature. The purpose of this study was to describe the application technique and examine the clinical results of Jessner's solution in combination with trichloroacetic acid in a diverse plastic surgery patient population., Method: A retrospective chart evaluation of 105 patients undergoing combination Jessner's and 35% trichloroacetic acid facial peel procedures by the senior author was performed. Patient demographics, anatomic location of peel, concomitant surgical procedures, and postoperative complications were noted. Technique and endpoints are described., Results: Between January of 2000 and April of 2007, 115 chemical peels were performed by the senior author. All patients were female, ranging in age from 32 to 83 years (mean, 54 years). Of the 115 chemical peels performed, 104 were done with concomitant procedures. Eleven peels were performed alone. The most significant complications related to the combination peel were fungal infections (7.8 percent overall rate). In addition, the senior author performed 27 face/neck lifts with superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS)-ectomy or SMAS plication along with full face combination peel, with minimal postoperative complications and no evidence of hypertrophic scarring., Conclusions: The combination of Jessner's solution and 35% trichloroacetic acid is an effective, safe resurfacing tool that can treat superficial to moderate rhytids. Despite the apparent simplicity of the procedure, there is a significant learning curve to understand the intricacies of chemical penetration in the skin. Consistency in results is achieved with experience and proper preoperative patient evaluation and selection.

Summary: The bilateral cleft lip and nasal repair has remained a challenging endeavor. Techniques have evolved to address concerns over unsatisfactory features and stigmata of the surgery. The authors present an approach to this complex clinical problem that modifies traditional repairs described by Millard and Manchester. The senior author (H.S.B.) has developed this technique with over 25 years of surgical experience dealing with the bilateral cleft lip. This staged lip and nasal repair provides excellent nasal projection, lip function, and aesthetic outcomes. Lip repair is performed at 3 months of age. Columellar lengthening is performed at approximately 18 months of age. A key component of this repair focuses on reconstruction of the central tubercle. A triangular prolabial dry vermilion flap is augmented by lateral lip vermilion flaps that include the profundus muscle of the orbicularis oris. This minimizes lateral lip segment sacrifice and provides improved central vermilion fullness, which is often deficient in traditional repairs. The authors present the surgical technique and examples of their clinical results.

High reoperation rates continue to agonize the field of breast augmentation surgery. Patient dissatisfaction is a contributing factor for reoperations. This is often attributable to patients' desire to be larger after the augmentation. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a potential alternative breast implant filler under investigation. It has been shown to swell secondary to osmotic expansion when it is placed in vivo. We hypothesize that there is a finite expansion in this process. An experimental study was designed utilizing an in vitro model to quantify the rate and volume of the osmotic expansion of PEG-filled implants. Seventeen silicone elastomer shells were filled with various percent concentration and molecular weight PEG/saline solutions. These implants were kept in saline baths at varying temperatures to assess the effect of temperature on osmotic expansion. Daily weights were recorded to quantify the expansion and determine if a plateau was reached. Implant expansion was observed to plateau in all groups tested. Implants filled with 85% concentration PEG solutions demonstrated a uniform expansion at a rate of 0.032 to 0.037 g/d. Implants filled with 85% concentration PEG stored at human core temperature (37 degrees C) gained on average 6.2% to 7.6% of their original weight. Implants stored at 4 degrees C expanded to a higher volume than implants stored at 37 degrees C (P < 0.01). Implants filled with 50% concentration PEG solution gained only 2.7% of their original weight (P < 0.01). PEG-filled implants undergo controlled osmotic expansion to a final predictable weight in vitro. Higher concentration PEG induces greater volume expansion. A colder environment also induces greater volume expansion. PEG is biologically inert and may be an alternative filler for breast implants. The predictable expansion process may be beneficial in breast augmentation that may alleviate patient dissatisfaction about breast size once postoperative edema resolves.

Objective: To review the clinical outcomes following the Furlow Z-plasty for primary cleft palate repair. The primary objective was to determine if the presence of an associated sequence or syndrome (i.e., Pierre Robin sequence), age at palate repair, cleft type, or surgeon experience influenced speech outcomes after a Furlow Z-plasty., Design: The outcomes of 140 patients who underwent palate repair were analyzed retrospectively. Speech evaluations were performed to score the severity of hypernasality, nasal escape, articulation errors, and velopharyngeal insufficiency., Results: The mean age at latest evaluation was 4 years 9 months (age range 2 years old to 12 years old and 4 months). Of the 140 patients, 83% had no evidence of hypernasality, 91% had no presence of nasal escape, and 69% had no articulation errors. Overall, 84% of patients had no evidence of velopharyngeal insufficiency. Secondary posterior pharyngeal flap to correct velopharyngeal insufficiency was required in only 2.1% of patients. The formation of an oronasal fistula occurred in only 3.6% of patients. Nonsyndromic patients with Pierre Robin sequence and syndromic patients did just as well as purely nonsyndromic patients in terms of velopharyngeal insufficiency, hypernasality, and nasal escape. Syndromic patients were more likely to make mild-to-moderate articulation errors. In addition, age at palate repair, cleft type, and surgeon experience had no statistically significant effect on speech results., Conclusions: The Furlow Z-plasty yielded excellent speech results in our patient population with minimal and acceptable rates of fistula formation, velopharyngeal insufficiency, and the need for additional corrective surgery.

Mandibular fractures, resulting from either trauma or reconstructive surgery, can be challenging craniofacial problems. The morbidity of failed fracture healing is significant and may require bone grafting. Donor site morbidity and finite amounts of autogenous bone are major drawbacks of autogenous bone grafting. Similarly, the use of allografts and xenografts may be associated with an increased risk of rejection, infection, and nonunion. To circumvent the limitations of bone grafting, research efforts have focused on formulating a suitable bone substitute. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of type I collagen implants in repairing critical sized mandibular defects in rats. Twelve male Sprague-Dawley rats (200-300g) were divided equally into control and experimental groups. Full thickness, round, four millimeter in diameter defects were created in the ramus of the right mandible of all rats using an electrical burr at low speed. The defects were irrigated of all bone chips, and either filled with a precisely fitted disk of allogenic collagen type I gel (experimental animals) or left empty (control animals). Animals were killed 6 weeks after surgery and healing of the bone defects was assessed in a blinded fashion using radiologic and histologic analysis. Radiologic analysis of the control group revealed a clear circular right mandibular defect in all animals, whereas the collagen disk implant group revealed an indistinct to nonexistent right mandibular defect in all animals. Densitometric analysis revealed a significant difference between these groups (* P = 0.01). Similarly, gross analysis of control mandibles revealed a 4mm round, soft-tissue filled defect, while implanted defects demonstrated gross bone spanning the defect. Finally, histologic analysis of all control mandibles revealed clearly demarcated bony edges at the defect border with connective tissue spanning the defect. In contrast, histological analysis of all implanted mandibles revealed indistinct bony edges at the defect border with a thin layer of osteoblasts and viable bone spanning the defects. We have demonstrated the ability of type I collagen to promote healing of a membranous bony defect that would not otherwise heal at 6 weeks. The suitability of type I collagen as a carrier matrix provides ample opportunity for tissue-engineered approaches to further facilitate bony defect healing. Promoting bone formation through tissue engineering matrices offers great promise for skeletal healing and reconstruction.

Background and Objective: Laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) is being used increasingly as a surgical treatment for snoring and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). There is limited evidence for the success of LAUP in eliminating OSA. This study assesses the efficacy of LAUP in eliminating snoring and OSA and addresses which patients may be the best candidates for LAUP treatment., Study Design/materials and Methods: From January 1994 to January 1996, 297 patients were evaluated for snoring, with 190 (64%) exhibiting some degree of OSA documented by a PSG: 41/ 190 (22%) mild OSA; 33/190 (17%) moderate OSA; 85/190 (45%) severe OSA; 31/190 (16%) severity unknown. Ninety patients (90/ 297) have undergone LAUP treatment: 58/90 (64%) with OSA and 32/90 (36%) with snoring only., Results: Our results indicate a significant reduction of snoring in patients without OSA, but diminishing success in patients with increasing degrees of OSA. Additionally, LAUP was not efficacious in treating OSA: pre-op respiratory disturbance index (RDI) of 10.8 vs. post-op RDI of 19.5 for mild OSA (P = 0.14); pre-op RDI of 22.9 vs. post-op RDI of 25.4 for moderate OSA (P = 0.43); pre-op RDI of 56.8 vs. post-op RDI of 46.3 (P < 0.05), which is statistically but not clinically significant (i.e., RDI remained in the severe range)., Conclusion: We conclude that LAUP is an effective treatment for nonapneic snoring, but does not provide sufficient resolution of OSA, and based on our results, LAUP should be considered as an adjunctive therapy rather than a sole treatment for OSA in most cases.

Efficiency of out-reach immunization strategies operationalised in a rural area of district Ambala (Haryana) was evaluated. Till year 1984-85 immunization delivery was 'sporadic'. Annual cluster immunization campaigns were conducted during 1985-86 and 1986-87. This comprised of delivery of oral polio vaccine (OPV) and/or measles once in a year to all eligible children, other vaccine continued to be delivered by health workers during routine beats. Regular immunization sessions were undertaken in 1987-88 and 1988-89. All the vaccines were delivered on 4 fixed days (one day per week) of each month, covering village at least once a month. Significant increase in immunization coverage was observed after cluster campaigns. OPV increased from 46.5 to 73.6%, DPT from 49.1 to 75.5%, BCG from 48.7 to 72.2%, measles from 8.6 to 45.8% and tetanus toxoid (TT) for pregnant women (PW) from 41.8 to 65.3%. Under regular programme the coverage levels were maintained at OPV 79.4%, DPT 78.2%, BCG 70.6%, measles 48% and TT (PW) 76.2%. Regular out-reach immunization strategy was found to be better than cluster campaigns as it was 'regular' and high coverage level could be maintained.