Faculty Bibliography

There are distinctive anatomical differences between the non-Caucasian (platyrrhine, mesorrhine) nose and the Caucasian (leptorrhine) nose. In general, non-Caucasian patients requesting aesthetic rhinoplasty desire improvement and refinement of their noses with preservation of defining ethnic characteristics. Surgeons who perform rhinoplasty in this patient population must be familiar with the variations in nasal anatomy and implement augmentation rather than reduction techniques to achieve the desired aesthetic and functional outcomes. We provide a brief review of recent historical trends in ethnic rhinoplasty, highlight relevant anatomical differences, and describe our strategy for addressing the challenges of ethnic rhinoplasty

The nasolabial flap is a straightforward and time-tested reconstructive option suitable for a variety of facial and oral defects. The superiorly and inferiorly based variants are well described in the literature and offer a rapid and reliable alternative to time-consuming microvascular free flaps and less esthetic skin grafts. Despite newer and more complex alternatives, the nasolabial flap maintains its prominent position in the reconstructive armamentarium of the oral and maxillofacial surgeon

We have previously shown that the integrin beta6 is neo-expressed in invasive oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and is correlated with oral tumor progression. However, the mechanism by which the integrin beta6 promotes oral tumor progression is not well understood. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether integrin beta6 signaling activates Fyn and thus promotes oral squamous cell carcinoma progression. We analyzed the integrin beta6 signaling complex and investigated the function of these signaling molecules in oral SCC cells. We found that, upon ligation of the integrin beta6 with fibronectin, beta6 complexed with Fyn and activated it. The activation of Fyn recruited and activated focal adhesion kinase to this complex. This complex was necessary to activate Shc and to couple beta6 signaling to the Raf-ERK/MAPK pathway. This pathway transcriptionally activated the matrix metalloproteinase-3 gene and promoted oral SCC cell proliferation and experimental metastasis in vivo. These findings indicate that integrin beta6 signaling activates Fyn and thus promotes oral cancer progression

We studied adaptations in nucleus accumbens opioidergic circuitry mediating noxious stimulus-induced antinociception (NSIA) in rats withdrawing from chronic morphine administration. Although the magnitude of NSIA in withdrawing rats was similar to that observed in naive rats despite the tolerance of withdrawing rats to the antinociceptive effects of acutely administered morphine, the involvement of nucleus accumbens opioid receptors in NSIA in withdrawing rats was different from previous observations in both naive and tolerant rats. In withdrawing rats intra-accumbens administration of the mu-opioid receptor antagonist Cys2, Tyr3, Orn5, Pen7 amide (CTOP), but not the delta-receptor antagonist naltrindole, blocked NSIA. Both antagonists blocked NSIA in the naive state, but neither was effective in tolerant rats. Also, intra-accumbens administration of the mu-agonist [D-Ala2, N-Me-Phe(4,) Gly5-ol]-enkephalin (DAMGO) alone was sufficient to induce antinociception in withdrawing rats, whereas a combination of both mu- and delta-receptor agonists (ie, DAMGO and D-Pen(2,5)-enkephalin [DPDPE], respectively) is required to induce antinociception in naive rats. The delta- agonist DPDPE was without effect in the withdrawing rat, alone or when combined with DAMGO. Thus, although the magnitude of NSIA does not differ significantly among the 3 states, it is mediated by both mu- and delta-receptors in the naive rat, mu- but not delta-receptors in the withdrawing rat, and neither receptor type in the morphine tolerant rat. These changes may result from different degrees of tolerance, with delta-receptors being the most sensitive; however, it is not known how these changes occur without affecting the magnitude of the resultant antinociception

BACKGROUND: An explanation for the predominance of injuries to lingual nerves over those to inferior alveolar nerves as a result of inferior alveolar nerve blocks may be due to the nerves' fascicular pattern. A unifascicular nerve may be injured more easily than a multifascicular nerve. METHODS: The authors unilaterally dissected lingual and inferior alveolar nerves from 12 cadavers. They cut the specimens 2 millimeters above the lingula for both the lingual nerve and inferior alveolar nerve and opposite the site of the middle of the third molar for the lingual nerve, and they counted the number of fascicles at each site. RESULTS: For the lingual nerve at the lingula, the mean number of fascicles was three (range, one to eight). Four of the 12 nerves (33 percent) were unifascicular at this point. Opposite the third molar, the lingual nerve had a mean of 20 fascicles (range, six to 39). In every case, there were more fascicles in the third molar region than above the lingula in the same nerve. At the lingula, the inferior alveolar nerve had a mean of 7.2 fascicles (range, three to 14). CONCLUSION: This study may explain the observation that when an inferior alveolar nerve block causes permanent nerve impairment, the lingual nerve is affected about 70 percent of the time and the inferior alveolar nerve is affected only 30 percent of the time. In 33 percent of cases, the lingual nerve had only one fascicle at the lingula; a unifascicular nerve may be injured more easily than a multifascicular one. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: There is no known way to avoid the remote possibility of nerve damage resulting from an inferior alveolar nerve block. The lingual nerve may be predominantly affected because of its fascicular pattern

Massive sinonasal polyposis associated with skull base dehiscence and intracranial extension is a difficult disease to treat. Conventional transnasal or transfacial techniques can result in dural injury, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak and infection. We describe our experience with a combined neurosurgical-endoscopic technique that protects the meninges. Five patients with massive sinonasal polyposis extending intracranially through skull base dehiscence were reviewed retrospectively. The minimum follow-up was 2 years. A frontal craniotomy was performed through a bicoronal approach. The dura was carefully separated from all infectious material at the floor of the anterior cranial fossa. The frontal lobe with the intact meninges was elevated off the anterior cranial floor. A sheet of blue plastic material was inserted under the frontal lobe from the craniotomy site to the planum sphenoidale. Next, a transnasal endoscopic ethmoidectomy, sphenoidectomy, and frontal sinusotomy were performed to remove the inflammatory processes. The blue plastic material was visible through any existing or potential skull base dehiscence, thus providing visual protection for the dura and brain. All gross disease was removed from the frontal, ethmoid, and sphenoid skull base regions in the 5 patients without dural injury. None of the patients developed a CSF leak or meningitis. Two patients developed recurrent polyposis limited to the sinuses without intracranial extension. The endoscopic craniofacial approach with the 'Blue-Sky' protective technique offers a safe method for completely removing massive sinonasal polyposis associated with an intracranial extension

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Marginal mandibulectomy (MM) has been shown to provide an oncologically sound technique with preservation of function and cosmesis. We reviewed our experience with MM and analyzed oncologic and nononcologic complications. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective review of patients, with clinical and/or radiological evidence of tumor attached to the mandible without cortical erosion, who underwent vertical, horizontal, or oblique marginal mandibulectomy. Data collection included demographics; tumor characteristics; clinical and radiologic relation to the mandible; surgical technique, with attention to neck dissection and facial artery ligation; radiation therapy; osteoradionecrosis (ORN); fractures; and recurrence. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients underwent MM. Primary tumors included oral cavity (22), oropharynx (1). and metastatic neck tumor abutting the inferior/lateral border of the mandible (2). Two patients had local recurrence. Both had close soft tissue margins. Local control rate was 92%. Of 11 patients who had postoperative radiation to the primary site, 4 (36.4%) developed ORN, resulting in fractures in the mandibulectomy site in 2 of them. Two other patients developed early postoperative fractures: 1 patient had had previous radiation, and 1 patient had neck dissections with bilateral facial artery ligation and periosteal stripping. This poor technique led to necrosis of the remaining anterior mandible even before starting radiotherapy. Salvage segmental mandibulectomy was required in both patients. CONCLUSIONS: MM provides an oncologically sound approach to tumors abutting the mandible. Careful attention to preservation of the remaining periosteum and facial arteries will prevent immediate postoperative complications. However, ORN is an important long-term complication that should be taken into account