The need for treatment of a maxillary fracture requiring open reduction and internal fixation involving a plate arises when a patient sustains a severely displaced or unstable maxillary fracture—often from high-impact trauma like a fall or assault—causing significant malocclusion, facial deformity, or sinus dysfunction, necessitating surgical exposure under anesthesia with assistance in a hospital to reposition the bone and secure it with a metal plate for robust stabilisation. This procedure is indicated for the most complex maxillary fractures requiring strong fixation, critical in the maxillofacial region where maxillary integrity affects occlusion, breathing, and facial aesthetics.
Specific conditions driving this need include:
For instance, a patient with a shattered maxilla from a workplace injury might undergo open reduction with a titanium plate to realign the bone and ensure stability, with the assistant aiding in precise plate placement. In an aged care context, an elderly patient with a severe maxillary fracture could benefit from this to restore eating ability, adjusted for their frailty and bone density. By surgically repositioning and fixing the maxilla with a plate, this service provides durable stability, restores function, and corrects deformity, making it a critical procedure for severe maxillary fractures within the maxillofacial framework.
Provides robust maxillary stability, restores function, and corrects severe deformity.
Recovery of 6-8 weeks with swelling, soft diet, and plate monitoring; hospital stay required.
