ArticleOtolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery2014
Hardware removal after osseous free flap reconstruction.
Article in Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Bony Union in Maxilla and Mandible Free Flap Reconstruction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Head & neck · 2026Pooled it
- Mini-plate versus reconstruction bar fixation for oncologic mandibular reconstruction with free fibula flaps: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of plastic, reconstructive & aesthetic surgery : JPRAS · 2022Pooled it
- Anterolateral Thigh Flap and Bone Plate for Mandibular Reconstruction in Patients over 55 Undergoing Ablative Oral Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Review
- Multicenter Comparison of Modern Plating Options in Fibula, Scapula, and Osteocutaneous Radial Forearm Free Flaps.Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery · 2026Article
- Metal on metal: removal of an extruding mandibular titanium reconstruction plate using a high-speed surgical drill.Singapore medical journal · 2025Article
- Dental Rehabilitation After Microvascular Reconstruction of Segmental Jaw Defects: A Ten-Year Follow-Up.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Article
- Managing Oromandibular Hardware Failure after Free Flap Surgery.Seminars in plastic surgery · 2023Review
- A Comprehensive Analysis of Complications of Free Flaps for Oromandibular Reconstruction.The Laryngoscope · 2021Article
- Complication of osteo reconstruction by utilizing free vascularized fibular bone graft.BMC surgery · 2020Review
- Imaging of Surgical Free Flaps in Head and Neck Reconstruction.AJNR. American journal of neuroradiology · 2019Review
- The use of the radial styloid in the extended osteocutaneous radial forearm free flap.Plastic surgery (Oakville, Ont.) · 2016Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveIdentifying risk factors for hardware removal in patients undergoing mandibular reconstruction with vascularized osseous free flaps remains a challenge. The purpose of this study is to identify potential risk factors, including osteocutaneous radial forearm versus fibular flap, for need for removal and to describe the fate of implanted hardware. STUDY
designCase series with chart review Setting Academic tertiary care medical center. SUBJECTS AND
methodsTwo hundred thirteen patients undergoing 227 vascularized osseous mandibular reconstructions between the years 2004 and 2012. Data were compiled through a manual chart review, and patients incurring hardware removals were identified.
resultsThirty-four of 213 evaluable vascularized osseous free flaps (16%) underwent surgical removal of hardware. The average length of time to removal was 16.2 months (median 10 months), with the majority of removals occurring within the first year. Osteocutaneous radial forearm free flaps (OCRFFF) incurred a slightly higher percentage of hardware removals (9.9%) compared to fibula flaps (6.1%). Partial removal was performed in 8 of 34 cases, and approximately 38% of these required additional surgery for removal.
conclusionHardware removal was associated with continued tobacco use after mandibular reconstruction (P = .03). Removal of the supporting hardware most commonly occurs from infection or exposure in the first year. In the majority of cases the bone is well healed and the problem resolves with removal.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.