2010 Volume 33 Issue 2 Pages 52-58
Purpose: Restoration of defects in the maxillofacial region with a facial prosthesis provides esthetic recovery and protection of wounds. A silicone rubber facial prosthesis is good for esthetic recovery, however, the retention between the prosthesis and skin remains unresolved. This article presents a new method of fabricating a lightweight facial prosthesis and a method of retention to skin by adhesive tape.
Fabrication method: An acrylic-resin defect frame and a facial plate were made from a defect model, and both were bonded with self-curing resin to complete a facial prosthesis shell. The defect-side facial image was reproduced by computer from a photograph of the patient, printed on thermal-transfer paper with adhesive and transferred onto a polyester cloth using an iron. The facial prosthesis was completed by bonding the facial prosthesis shell and polyester cloth with image by adhesive. This lightweight facial prosthesis was strongly bonded to the patient’s skin with adhesive tape. The three cases were a 65-year-old female with left-mid-face defect including orbit, a 72-year-old male who had undergone a right extended maxillectomy with free skin graft, and a 60-year-old male who had undergone a right extended maxillectomy with orbital evisceration. The new facial prostheses which were applied to the three patients weighed 8.1 g, 3.8 g, and 3.2 g respectively.
