EXPERIENCE WITH E-PTFE MEMBRANE APPLICATION TO BONE-GRAFTING OF CLEFTMAXILLA

Previous clinical studies and animal experiments have demonstrated tha t the placement of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (e-PTFE) membranes (GORE-TEX(R)) may be valuable for bone regeneration in nonosteogenic areas. This study aimed to explore the application of this technique t o bone grafting of wide alveolopalatal clefts. Ten patients with bilat eral clefts were selected and during a 2-week period, all received aut ogeneic cancellous iliac bone bilaterally. The membrane was placed nas ally and orally on the larger cleft side and removed after 3-6 months. All patients have been followed for 14 months. Bone graft incorporati on was successful except for one patient (membrane side), who was regr afted 1 year later. However, soft-tissue problems with membrane exposu re occurred in the majority of patients, while on the nonmembrane side , healing was uneventful in all cases. Further research in membrane te chnology is necessary before this method can be accepted for cleft gra fting.