The Clinical Usefulness of Ultrasound-Aided Fixation Using an Absorbable Plate System in Patients with Zygomatico-Maxillary Fracture

BACKGROUND Ultrasound-aided fixation is a recently developed alternative method of treatment of zygomatico-maxillary (ZM) fracture, and it can resolve the problems of excessive torsion force and subsequent fractures of screws. We conducted this study to evaluate the clinical usefulness of ultrasound-aided fixation as compared with the conventional fixation method using a drill and an expander in patients with ZM fracture. METHODS We conducted a retrospective study in 35 patients with ZM fracture who had been treated at our hospital during a period ranging from March of 2008 to December of 2010. We divided them into two groups: an ultrasound-aided fixation group, comprising 13 patients who underwent ultrasound-aided fixation (SonicWeld Rx, KLS Martin), and a conventional group, comprising 22 patients who underwent conventional fixation (Biosorb FX, Linvatec Biomaterials Ltd.). We compared such variables as sex, direction, age at operation, follow-up period, operation duration, number of fixed holes, and time to discharge between the two groups. RESULTS The ultrasound-aided fixation reduced the operation duration by about 30 minutes as compared with that of conventional fixation. There was no significant difference in follow-up period, number of fixed holes, or time to discharge between the two groups. Furthermore, there were no complications in either group. CONCLUSIONS The ultrasound-aided fixation of fractured ZM bone using an absorbable implant system is safe and effective in promptly reducing the bone fracture and providing satisfactory cosmetic outcomes over time.