The British journal of oral & maxillofacial surgery
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Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg · Dec 2013
Comparative StudyCharacterisation of explosive fragments injuring the neck.
Penetrating explosive fragments are the most common cause of neck injuries sustained by UK service personnel deployed to Afghanistan. Analysis of these fragments will enable future ballistic protective materials to be tested with appropriate projectiles. However, only a small number of fragments excised from the neck have been available for analysis and they are potentially unrepresentative. ⋯ A fragment-simulating projectile of 0.49 g represented 85% of fragments retained in the neck. CT can accurately delineate the shape and mass of fragments, which increases the number from which the most appropriate simulated projectile can be designed. We think that this methodology should be applied to fragments retained in other parts of the body to enable broader recommendations to be made regarding the testing of ballistic materials used to protect service personnel.
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Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg · Dec 2013
ReviewElective surgical cricothyroidotomy in oral and maxillofacial surgery.
Surgical Cricothyroidotomy is regarded as an emergency procedure today even though it has a good evidential record as an elective surgical airway. A misunderstanding of Jackson's landmark paper in 1921 has made the simple and safe procedure unpopular because of the fear of subglottic stenosis. We present the incidence of subglottic stenosis after surgical cricothyroidotomy, discuss evidence for elective surgical cricothyroidotomy, and suggest potential applications in oral and maxillofacial surgery.
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Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg · Dec 2013
Comparative StudyA novel method of computer aided orthognathic surgery using individual CAD/CAM templates: a combination of osteotomy and repositioning guides.
The maxilla is usually positioned during orthognathic surgery using surgical splints, which has many limitations. In this preliminary study we present a new computer-aided design and manufacture (CAD/CAM) template to guide the osteotomy and the repositioning, and illustrate its feasibility and validity. Six patients with dental maxillofacial deformities were studied. ⋯ All patients were satisfied with the aesthetic results. Our CAD/CAM templates provide a reliable method for transfer of maxillary surgical planning, which may be a useful alternative to the intermediate splint technique. Our technique does not require traditional model surgery, scanning of dental casts, or recording of the CAD/CAM splint.