Maxilla reconstruction with free fibula flap: Twelve-year experience

Since 1997 maxilla reconstruction with free fibula flaps has become the gold standard after wide resection of malignancy. A few years later also Cawood's class VI atrophy became an indication for fibula microvascular transplantation. We present our 12-year experience in maxilla reconstruction in the management of post-oncological surgery defects and in the correction of severe alveolar ridge atrophy. Since 1989 27 patients have been treated in our division. Of them 17 were post-oncological and ten had severe bone atrophies. Age ranged from 45 to 60. In all cases except one the flap successfully healed. We had one flap necrosis after vascular pedicle trombosis. Ninety-eight osseo-integrated implants were inserted, with a success rate of 93.8%. Follow-up ranged from 14 to 86 months of functional load. Results turned out to be satisfactory from a functional and aesthetic standpoint.