The kidney dish as a template for titanium mesh contouring in supraorbital rim fractures: A simple and effective method

Abstract

The supraorbital rims are an integral part of facial esthetics and fractures to this region can result in obvious cosmetic deformities. When there is significant bone loss, using titanium mesh is an effective method of reconstructing the supraorbital rim. Conventional methods of contouring the rim include polyurethane skull models, customized implants, and free-form intraoperative bending of the mesh. Conventional skull models are usually based on an average 6-foot-tall Caucasian man and may not accurately simulate the supraorbital rim in persons of Asian descent. Free-form bending is associated with mesh contour irregularities, leading to palpability and protrusion and to nonanatomic conformation of mesh. The kidney dish, a commonly available implement in the operating room, can be used as a template for reconstruction of the supraorbital rims and this technique is described in the present report. © 2011 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.