Annals of plastic surgery
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Annals of plastic surgery · Jun 1993
The role of alloplastic skeletal modification in the reconstruction of facial burns.
The external appearance of the face is largely dictated by its supporting facial skeleton. After an extensive thermal injury, the underlying facial skeleton may need to be either augmented or restored to maintain the functional and aesthetic appearance of the face. The factors that make a structural reconstruction difficult are poor vascularity and compliance of the scar tissue, extreme contractile forces of the scar, and unstable skin coverage. ⋯ There were no other implant-related complications. We believe that skeletal modification is an important step for a successful facial burn reconstruction. Porous polyethylene offers a promising solution for the complex reconstructive problem of using an alloplast in the environment of a facial burn.