Dental and facial injuries following sports accidents: a study of 130 patients

Details of injuries to the face and teeth have been collected over a five-year period. One hundred and thirty patients were seen with injuries resulting from 21 different sports. Estimates of the numbers of people playing various team sports in the Bradford area suggest that the incidence of facial injuries is most common in rugby, followed by soccer and cricket. Miniature motor cycling and horse-riding are the most dangerous individual sports. The ages of injured patients varied widely in different sports, but the severity of injuries sustained is less than those due to other causes.     

Current thinking on the management of abnormal retropharyngeal nodes in patients with oral,oropharyngeal, and nasopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma: a structured review

The management of enlarged retropharyngeal lymph nodes (RLN) in patients with confirmed oral, oropharyngeal, or nasopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) has prognostic relevance and is a challenge for the clinical teams. There is, however, no consensus regarding their clinical management or radiographic evaluation. The aim of this review therefore was to present the current thinking on management to help improve outcomes. We searched several online databases using the key terms “retropharyngeal node”, “oral cancer”, “head and neck cancer”, “oropharyngeal cancer”, “nasopharyngeal cancer”, “nasopharynx”, “oral cavity”, “oropharynx”, “TORS”, and “radiotherapy”. A total of 1024 papers were screened, of which 32 were eligible. There was no consensus about the management of RLN. There is a lack of randomised studies and a lack of consistency in the presentation of results. Management should be tailored in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), and prophylactic irradiation is warranted as these nodes are at high risk of metastasis. In patients with non-NPC tumours, we prefer to resect them during primary operations when there is radiological uncertainty or evidence that they are affected, as the combination of radiological and histological outcomes will further our understanding. In both NPC and non-NPC tumours, sampling may also help to standardise the radiological criteria for the diagnosis of RLN by contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography (PET) CT.     

Results of flap reconstruction: categorisation to reflect outcomes and process in the management of head and neck defects

The reporting of the outcomes of flap reconstruction is often based on numerical success rates. Whilst this remains a useful variable with which to measure success, it is limited in its ability to reflect the complex processes involved. The lack of consistency in the categorisation of outcomes of flap reconstruction in the head and neck could potentially lead us to lose the opportunity to fully capture the implications of its success or failure, or both. We propose a classification that moves away from primarily reporting the results of its binary nature, and focuses more on the process of reconstruction, particularly in the head and neck.     

The use of drains in oral and maxillofacial surgery: A review and a new approach

The use of drains in oral and maxillofacial surgery is reviewed and discussed. Their relative advantages and disadvantages and potential complications are explained, and principles for wound drainage are developed. Use of the Jackson-Pratt drainage system, a versatile type of suction that minimizes the complications associated with wound drainage, is described.     

Mandibular vestibulolingual sulcoplasty with free skin graft: A five-year clinical follow-up study

The results of a follow-up study on 84 patients treated by mandibular vestibulolingual sulcoplasty with skin grafting, based on a questionnaire and clinical examination, are reported. It was concluded that more than 80% of the patients were satisfied with the results and that the complaints from the remaining patients were of only minor importance.     

Recurrence of an ameloblastoma in an autogenous iliac bone graft

A rare case of recurrent ameloblastoma in an iliac bone graft is presented.