Maxillofacial surgery
Reconstructive surgery as part of complex treatment of osteomyelitis
With osteomyelitis of the bone, part of the bone tissue is sequestered (dies) as a result of the inflammatory process. Thus, non-viable and separated from the bone fragments are formed, and the jaw loses its integrity and actually consists of two separate, unconnected parts. These fragments of necrotic bone must be removed, so that they do not begin to decay internally, and replace the lost tissue. Reconstructive surgery at the Sirius Dent Medical Center will help with this.
What is osteomyelitis?
Osteomyelitis is an extremely difficult to treat inflammatory process of bone tissue, which is accompanied by its necrosis. It can occur anywhere, but if we talk about the bones of the face, most often this disease affects the lower jaw. Osteomyelitis also occurs in cancer patients undergoing radiation or chemotherapy treatment.
The cause of osteomyelitis is considered to be the entry of pathogenic bacteria into the bone, however, the founder of the Odesa School of Maxillofacial Surgery Hryhoriy Semenchenko, as a result of his experiments, came to the conclusion that it is a neurogenic mechanism of development: bacteria are a trigger mechanism, because they cause mechanical irritation of the mandibular nerve.
Self-medication is strictly prohibited. It is necessary to immediately make an appointment with a maxillofacial surgeon
Consequences of osteomyelitis
If the treatment of osteomyelitis is not started in time, the entire lower jaw will gradually have to be removed. It is not a disease that kills, but the quality of life significantly deteriorates. A person without a lower jaw has no support for soft tissues and the tongue – they sag without support, and is unable to swallow, so nutrition is carried out through a tube.
We specialize in the treatment of inflammatory diseases of the soft tissues of the maxillofacial area and neck
Call our administrator and make an appointment for a consultation by phone +38 (066) 125 86 31 or fill out the form on the website.
what is worth knowing
When it is necessary to turn to surgical treatment of the consequences of osteomyelitis
As a rule, acute osteomyelitis is not diagnosed in time, and chronic osteomyelitis has to be treated. Computer tomography helps to detect the disease: on the image, the maxillofacial surgeon can see the degree of damage, the location of the inflammatory process, and places where there is no bone anymore or it is not connected to the jaw.
Treatment includes antibiotic therapy, detection of sequestrations, and hygiene of the bone wound — as long as the inflammation continues, nothing else can be done. Surgical reconstruction of the consequences begins already after the end of therapy.
How reconstructive surgery will help to cope with the consequences of osteomyelitis
Reconstructive surgery helps to restore the integrity of the jaw, to grow and strengthen bone tissue to replace the lost one. It makes sense to consult a maxillofacial surgeon for surgery when medical treatment is completed, and in the case of cancer, after radiation or chemotherapy.
How is the surgical treatment of the consequences of osteomyelitis
The best option is when osteomyelitis was managed before a large bone fragment separated and the integrity of the jaw was preserved. In this case, the maxillofacial surgeon only has to perform a bone graft to slightly increase the volume of the jaw bone and strengthen it. Both the operation and the rehabilitation period are much easier.
A more difficult task arises when part of the jaw has already been removed and we have two separated fragments. They must be fastened together as tightly and immovably as possible, as well as fill the area where there is no bone tissue. Here, several options are possible: to close the defect with a fragment of one’s own iliac or tibial bone (autotransplantation), or to involve the latest digital technologies.
Yes, we can individually print, using CADCAM technology, a titanium mesh, a kind of matrix, which, on the one hand, will bind the fragments together, and on the other hand, will create a capacity that will be filled with bone augmentation (50% – synthetic or organic bone substitute material, 50% — the patient’s own crushed bone). Moreover, we currently use a bone substitute material in which the patient’s own stem cells, grown at the VIRTUS Institute, are transplanted. In this way, we achieve the fact that new bone tissue is formed in this area.
Rehabilitation after surgical removal of the consequences of osteomyelitis
It is important to understand that osteomyelitis is treated for a long time and is difficult. Rehabilitation, in turn, depends on how badly the jaw was affected and, accordingly, what was the scope of the operation. In general, treatment and recovery can take months and years.
To prevent the further development of chronic osteomyelitis, it is necessary to treat the teeth in a timely manner and carry out professional hygiene, because it is through them that the infection can enter the jaw. If osteomyelitis occurred as a result of an injury, you should immediately consult a doctor so that the fragments do not rub against each other. And with cancer, the maxillofacial surgeon can work together with the oncologist to minimize the negative consequences of osteomyelitis of the jaw.
- When it is necessary to turn to surgical treatment of the consequences of osteomyelitis
- How reconstructive surgery will help to cope with the consequences of osteomyelitis
- How is the surgical treatment of the consequences of osteomyelitis
- Rehabilitation after surgical removal of the consequences of osteomyelitis
- Who provides this service
Patient reviews
Popular questions
How long does it take for osteomyelitis to heal?
Osteomyelitis can affect any bone and is extremely difficult to overcome. Therefore, the duration of treatment depends on how quickly the inflammatory process can be stopped.
How does osteomyelitis of the jaw begin?
With osteomyelitis, including the lower jaw, inflammation of the soft tissues around the affected bone is observed. It may be accompanied by symptoms such as weakness, malaise and fever. If you suspect osteomyelitis, consult an oral and maxillofacial surgeon.
What tests show osteomyelitis?
To diagnose osteomyelitis, including purulent osteomyelitis, tests are prescribed that can be used to monitor the dynamics of the inflammatory process: general blood test, coagulogram, ESR, etc. The degree of damage and sequestered fragments are shown by CT.
Ask a Sirius-Dent expert at the consultation