[Distraction osteogenesis of the mandible in craniofacial abnormalities]

In recent years, lengthening the human mandible by distraction osteogenesis has become an accepted treatment to correct severe mandibular hypoplasia. Using intraoral unidirectional and extraoral bidirectional distraction devices we report about our experiences and results in the application of the bone distraction technique in four selected cases of syndromal disease, including various forms of mandibular hypoplastic malformations. The patients involved were a boy with Pierre Robin syndrome, a girl with unilateral facial hypoplasia in Goldenhar's syndrome, a case with Nager's syndrome, and a rare case of midline deficiency caused by partial deletion of chromosome 18 (18p-syndrome). The distraction period lasted from 6 to 30 days and new bone formation, ranging from 6 to 28 mm, was achieved.