UA Open Access Publishing Fund / Titanium craniofacial hardware has become commonplace for reconstruction and bone flap fixation following
craniotomy. Complications of titanium hardware include palpability, visibility, infection, exposure, pain, and
hardware malfunction, which can necessitate hardware removal. We describe three patients who underwent
craniofacial reconstruction following craniotomies for trauma with post-operative courses complicated by
medically intractable facial pain. All three patients subsequently underwent removal of the symptomatic
craniofacial titanium hardware and experienced rapid resolution of their painful parasthesias. Symptomatic
plates were found in the region of the frontozygomatic suture or MacCarty keyhole, or in close proximity with
the supraorbital nerve. Titanium plates, though relatively safe and low profile, can cause local nerve irritation
or neuropathy. Surgeons should be cognizant of the potential complications of titanium craniofacial hardware
and locations that are at higher risk for becoming symptomatic necessitating a second surgery for removal.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:arizona.edu/oai:arizona.openrepository.com:10150/621246 |
| Date | 06 1900 |
| Creators | Palejwala, Sheri K., Skoch, Jesse, Lemole, G. Michael |
| Contributors | University of Arizona, Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery |
| Publisher | Elsevier |
| Source Sets | University of Arizona |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Article |
| Rights | Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). |
| Relation | http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S221475191500016X |
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