Developments in craniomaxillofacial surgery: Use of self-reinforced bioabsorbable osteofixation devices

Because of the problems associated with the conventional osteofixation devi ces used in craniomaxillofacial surgery, absorbable devices present an appe aling alternative. Devices made of the polymers polylactide, polyglycolide, and their copolymers (PLGA and P [L/DL]LA) are currently the most commonly used. Ultrahigh-strength implants can be manufactured from these polymers with the self-reinforcing technique. Over the authors' almost two decades o f study, both in experimental and clinical settings, self-reinforced device s have proved to be biocompatible, easy to handle, and mechanically strong, even for the fixation of femoral neck fractures. In craniomaxillofacial su rgery,;the authors have used self-reinforced devices for over 8 years witho ut complications. Because of the more favored degradation characteristics, currently the copolymeric self-reinforced devices (P[L/DL]LA, Biosorb FX an d PLGA, Biosorb PDX; Elite Performance Technologies, Solana Beach, Calif.) represent the advancing front in the application of absorbable devices in c raniomaxillofacial surgery. The authors' share their experience and their s tudies of self-reinforced devices, which possess the highest strength and d uctility of all bioabsorbable products.