WOUND-HEALING AFTER MULTISEGMENTAL LEFORT-I OSTEOTOMY AND TRANSECTIONOF THE DESCENDING PALATINE VESSELS

Purpose: Vascular ischemia has been associated with improper soft tiss ue flap design, stretching of the palatal vascular pedicle, bony segme ntation, transection of the descending palatal vessels, or hypotension , This study examined Le Fort I osteotomy wound healing after some of these surgical maneuvers. Materials and Methods: Clinically analogous four-segment Le Fort I osteotomies were accomplished through circumves tibular incisions in nine adult rhesus monkeys and the animals were ki lled at 0, 3, 7, 14, and 28 days after surgery, Revascularization and bone healing were studied by microangiographic and histologic techniqu es. Results: The findings indicated that the palatal mucosa or labial- buccal gingiva and mucosa provide adequate nutrient pedicles for Le Fo rt I osteotomies accomplished through a circumvestibular type incision . Conclusions: It was concluded that segmentalization, stretching of t he vascular pedicles, or transection of the descending palatine vessel s have only transitory discernible effects on revascularization and bo ne healing.