Rigid Fixation of the Pediatric Facial Skeleton

Kevin C Lee; Renée Reynolds; Matthew J Recker; Michael R Markiewicz

doi:10.1016/j.coms.2023.04.003

Rigid Fixation of the Pediatric Facial Skeleton

Oral Maxillofac Surg Clin North Am. 2023 Nov;35(4):529-541. doi: 10.1016/j.coms.2023.04.003. Epub 2023 Aug 1.

Authors

Kevin C Lee¹, Renée Reynolds², Matthew J Recker², Michael R Markiewicz³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University at Buffalo, 3425 Main Street 112 Squire Hall, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA; Department of Head & Neck/Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA.
² Department of Neurosurgery, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 818 Ellicott Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA.
³ Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University at Buffalo, 3425 Main Street 112 Squire Hall, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA. Electronic address: mrm25@buffalo.edu.

PMID: 37537081
DOI: 10.1016/j.coms.2023.04.003

Abstract

Pediatric facial fractures are uncommon, and fortunately, the majority can be managed with conservative measures. Rigid fixation of the pediatric facial skeleton can potentially be associated with delayed hardware issues and growth inhibition. When appropriate, resorbable fixation is most commonly used for this purpose. Titanium plates and screws are advantageous when rigid fixation is a priority because properly placed hardware that respects natural suture lines is not thought to significantly inhibit growth. Furthermore, titanium fixation may be removed following healing.

Keywords: Craniofacial growth; Internal fixation; Nonresorbable hardware; Resorbable hardware; Rigid fixation.

Publication types

Review