[Distraction osteogenesis with double internal devices combined with early frontal facial advancement for the correction of facial craniosynostosis. Report of clinical cases].

Frontofacial monobloc advancement is a surgical procedure which corrects at the same time both frontal and facial retrusions in faciocraniosynostosis. The high risk morbidity limited its use to major exorbitism or severe breathing impairment. We report the results of a preliminary experience in five children with a mean age of 3.8 years. All patients presented with a Crouzon or Pfeiffer syndrome. The procedure performed was a frontofacial monobloc osteotomy with peroperative mobilization. Two pairs of distractors (Martin-Medizin) were implanted. The upper pair of frontal distractors was located behind the supraorbital bar. The pair of temporo-zygomatic distractors (a modification of the MicroFrance prototypes) was implanted behind the zygomatic bone. In one patient a transfacial pin was connected to the anterior part the lower distractors, to avoid facial bipartition. Distraction was performed according to classical protocols with a 1 mm advancement per day, until sufficient advancement was obtained. The correction of exorbitism and facial retrusion was obtained in all cases. An open-bite was created by the advancement in two out of the five patients. Minor infection occurred in one patient. This combination of distractors with frontofacial advancement seemed to increase the efficacy and reduce the morbidity. This might lead to a one stage strategy for faciocraniosynostosis treatment, even if minor additive procedures will be necessary when children get older and that insufficient facial growth still reoccurs.