Current Practice and Future Trends in Craniomaxillofacial Reconstructive and Corrective Microvascular Bone Surgery.

The introduction of vascularized bone grafting has dramatically improved the potential for reconstruction of complex defects of the mandible, and it has improved the results of surgical restoration of the midface and cranial regions following tumor ablation or severe trauma. The reconstruction of the mandible in particular had been fraught with many difficulties, especially by the unfavorable milieu caused by oral contamination. The requirements of the reconstructed mandible include the maintenance of structural integrity for mastication, the successful union of adjacent bone segments, and the continued mobility of the jaw.1 Reconstruction of the midface and cranium, on the other hand, has different requirements for accurate three-dimensional stable bony replacement. The replacement bone in this region must often be thin and pliable to provide the proper shape and size.2 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]