Successful Grafting with Allogenic Bone Following Benign Pediatric Mandibular Tumor Removal.

Abstract

The reconstruction of mandibular defects in pediatric patients presents a significant surgical challenge due to the unique anatomic and developmental considerations of the growing mandible. Advancements in bone tissue engineering have introduced the use of bone graft substitutes and osteoinductive materials such as demineralized bone matrix (DBX), recombinant human bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP), and freeze-dried bone chips (FDBC). Although the current literature using allogenic bone grafts for mandibular defects is limited, existing studies have demonstrated its efficacy in the immediate reconstruction of mandibular defects following benign tumor ablation. In this case series, we evaluate the outcomes of immediate mandibular reconstruction using a combination of DBX, rhBMP-2, and FDBC following 6 benign mandibular tumor removals. At 6 months postoperatively, we achieved no graft failures with 4 (67%) graft sites achieving 100% graft take and 2 (33%) defects achieving approximately 80% graft take. Our results indicate that bone grafting with DBX, BMP, and FDBC could potentially represent a valuable reconstructive technique for pediatric mandibular defects, offering a low-morbid and cost-effective alternative to traditional autologous grafting methods.