The British journal of oral & maxillofacial surgery
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Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg · Apr 2009
Early postoperative care for free flap head & neck reconstructive surgery--a national survey of practice.
There is considerable variation in the post-operative management of head and neck free flaps in the UK. We undertook a national postal survey of maxillofacial surgical units in the UK who perform free flap reconstruction following ablative head and neck surgery. Questions were asked about the routine postoperative care of a hypothetical, straightforward patient undergoing free flap reconstruction to determine whether there were any trends in managing these patients. ⋯ There was also variation in the management of these cases, particularly with the requirement for ventilation. Few units routinely use dextran or dobutamine infusions, although one-to-one nursing and invasive cardiovascular monitoring are commonplace. Alternative provision of postoperative care is discussed.
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Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg · Mar 2009
Patterns of emergency maxillofacial referrals and provision of services.
The rising number of maxillofacial injuries in the UK requires a reappraisal of emergency services within our specialty. Although the impact of a dedicated trauma list has been reported, it has not been widely embraced, and we know of few data that help to plan the number or timing of such lists. ⋯ We conclude that to serve a population of 2.6 million a minimum of 8 emergency lists are required each week to deal with non-complex cases; this equates to 3 lists/million population. The lists should be concentrated at weekends and early in the week.
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Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg · Dec 2008
Case ReportsCranial osteomyelitis: a late complication of a dental infection.
Dental infections are associated with a range of serious complications. The orofacial region provides potential spaces in the tissue that infections of dental origin can occupy. We describe the subtemporal extension of a dental infection, the late development of cranial osteomyelitis, and its surgical management.