Midface Reconstruction

Abstract

Composite defects of the midface present a formidable reconstructive challenge. Progress in craniomaxillofacial surgery has led to improved understanding of the functional role of skeletal subunits, whereas microsurgical free tissue transfer has become a reliable means for soft tissue coverage of large facial wounds. Although historically divergent, the intersection of these subspecialties has provided surgeons with the resources to undertake complex reconstructive problems in an anatomic location where functional and aesthetic concerns are equally critical. Technological advances have allowed teams to plan procedures in precise detail, increasing surgical accuracy and creating optimal conditions for long-term oral rehabilitation. Interestingly, far from obsoleting them, these innovations reinforce the age-old surgical principles that have guided facial reconstruction for the past century. Perhaps the ultimate representation of these principles, facial transplantation has transformed even the most severe craniomaxillofacial defects into reconstructible problems; special considerations must be recognized when reconstructing the skeletal structures of the midface in the context of allotransplantation. This review contains 7 figures and 29 references. Key Words: aesthetic units, composite facial defects, facial transplantation, free fibula flap, free iliac bone flap, midface reconstruction, skeletal buttresses, staged reconstruction