Midfacial augmentation in teenage cleft patients using malar and paranasal Medpor implants

Malar and paranasal implants offer a way to augment and reconstruct midfacial deformities, and can be used across a broad spectrum of craniofacial deformities. Three patients aged between 13 and 15 years underwent such a procedure. Access was achieved via a labial mucosal approach; 'super petite' and 'petite' malar and paranasal Medpor implants were inserted in a subperiosteal plane and secured with titanium screws. All patients underwent an uneventful postoperative recovery and have remained pleased with their reconstruction at follow-up. In carefully selected patients, Medpor implants may have a role in teenage cleft patients with subtle midfacial hypoplasia, where formal osteotomies are not felt to be required, or where the lengthy preparation period might not be tolerated. In the cases described, they were used as a bridging or temporizing measure as there was not yet the skeletal maturity for definitive osteotomies. These patients may otherwise face a lengthy wait during their teenage years, in which they may struggle to manage what they may perceive as a significant facial deformity.