PDS PLATES, THE LATEST AND GREATEST IN REVISION RHINOPLASTY AND SEPTOPLASTY.
Two weeks ago I was lucky to get a sample of the new PDS plate to use in a tertiary revision septoplasty case. The PDS plate is made of the same material that is used in my favorite suture material for sewing cartilage in rhinoplasty. PDS suture material lasts around three months, long enough for healing and long lasting cartilage bonding to take place but not so long that the body rejects it and tries to “spit” it out. The PDS plate has been around in Europe for a number of years. European colleagues have talked about it in their lectures and published on it in 2005: Dr. Wolfgang Gubisch, Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery vol 7, July/Aug 2005 and Boenisch and Trenite also in Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery vol 13 Jan/Feb 2010.
Finally us of the PDS plate for nasal surgery was FDA approved for use in US early this fall. The parent company, Mentor, was well represented at the AAFPRS (American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery) meeting in Boston with very informed vendors and an armful of papers documenting the advantages of using PDS plates.
After all that fanfare, I had the ideal case 2 weeks following the meeting (2 weeks ago); a gentleman who had two prior deviated septum operations with persistent nasal septal deviation and nasal obstruction. What he needed was to have the septum taken completely apart and have something like this plate to hold the healing cartilages pieces in place as the septum heals straight. After all this buildup, I was told that they were back ordered and the product wouldn’t be available for many weeks. Well, it pays to have a good relationship with a superb rep.
She was able to procure a plate for me in time to use for the surgery and I really think it will help get a superior result.
This weekend, I am an invited guest to go to St. Louis to hear lectures by the doctors who invented and perfected the use of the PDS plate as well as a lab demonstrating the many ways they suggest it can be used. Fortunately for me and my patient, I had a jump start on the process.
By the way, I already have my next case in mind. This is a 6 year old boy who smashed his nose last summer and had a failed attempt at fixing his destroyed septum. His nose is also collapsed. I believe the PDS plate will help restore a straighter septum nasal height with less surgery than he would otherwise require without it.
I really feel that the new PDS plate is an excellent new product that will help enhance the results in revision rhinoplasty and revision septoplasty.
