Evaluation of the Effect of Bioresorbable Plates and Screws in the Treatment of Condylar Fractures, Assisted by Digital Preoperative Planning

Abstract

Although bioresorbable materials have begun to be applied in the clinic, they are used primarily in children with fractures; thus, there are few reports of their application for treatment of condylar fractures. This study evaluated the effect of the application of bioresorbable plates and screws for patients with condylar fractures, assisted by digital preoperative planning. This was a prospective interventional study. The sample was composed of 46 patients treated at the School of Stomatology of the China Medical University (Shenyang, China) from October 2016 through May 2018 for condylar fractures alone or in combination with other facial fractures. All patients underwent confirmatory preoperative computed tomography (CT) to obtain Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) format data for preoperative designing. By digital designing, the authors confirmed operative plans for each patient. All 46 patients underwent bioresorbable osteosynthesis and underwent repeat CT on postoperative day 3. Postoperative clinical assessments included postoperative positions of the fracture segments, maximal mouth opening, lateral excursion movements, occlusal status, and patient satisfaction. These variables were used to assess postoperative efficacy. The sample was composed of 46 patients who had open reduction with internal fixation on 52 sides. At the 3-month follow-up visit, the proportions of patients who were satisfied with the results and who achieved stable occlusion, appropriate maximal mouth opening, and flexible lateral excursion movement were 97, 100, 66, and 95%, respectively. One patient sustained postoperative displacement of a condylar fracture fragment, as confirmed by repeated CT. He was lost to follow-up at 3months postoperatively. The results of this study suggest that open reduction treatment of condylar fractures implanted with bioresorbable materials in combination with digital preoperative designing is an effective method for managing patients in clinical practice.