10-YEAR EXPERIENCE WITH CRANIOFACIAL IMPLANTS - CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS

The choice of bone substitute to be used in the cranio-maxillofacial d istricts raises several problems relating to the biocompatibility and mechnical resistance of the material, Over the past 10 years a total o f 245 cranio-maxillofacial skeletal implants have been performed by th e Department of Plastic Surgery at Niguarda Ca' Granda Hospital in Mil an. The choice of material varied depending on the market availability of products and the experience acquired of both positive results and the onset of short-term and long-term complications. All patients were monitored with a minimum follow-up of 2 years and a maximum of 10 (me an 36 months). The following parameters were taken into account: compl ications linked to graft contamination, graft extrusion and decubitus, resorption times, degradable materials, resorption of underlying bone tissue and reactivity of the surrounding tissues. Studies on the cell cytohistotoxicity of materials used were performed in parallel by the cell culture laboratory at the Department of Plastic Surgery of Nigua rda Hospital, using human keratinocyte and fibroblast cultures.