Single-Institution Analysis of Immediate and Delayed Jaw Reconstruction

Area of Science:

• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Reconstructive Surgery
• Dental Implantology

Background:

• Traditional mandibular reconstruction uses fibula-free flap (FFF) with delayed prostheses.
• Immediate prosthesis placement in jaw reconstruction eliminates edentulism.
• Comparing immediate jaw reconstruction (IJR) with traditional fibula-free flap mandibular reconstruction (FFFMR) is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare surgical outcomes between immediate jaw reconstruction (IJR) and traditional fibula-free flap mandibular reconstruction (FFFMR).
• To evaluate the feasibility and safety of IJR as an alternative to FFFMR.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 116 patients (2015-2024) undergoing either traditional FFFMR or IJR.
• Propensity score matching to control for confounding variables.
• Comparison of complication rates, hospital stay, and surgery duration between the two cohorts.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in complication rates or hospital length of stay between IJR and FFFMR groups.
• Surgery duration was significantly shorter in the IJR group compared to the FFFMR group.
• Demographics and clinical factors were similar, though the traditional cohort had more malignant disease.

Conclusions:

• Immediate jaw reconstruction (IJR) shows comparable postoperative surgical outcomes to traditional FFFMR.
• IJR is a feasible and safe alternative, offering immediate functional and aesthetic benefits.
• IJR is not inferior to FFFMR for appropriately selected patients.