Objective: Determine the incidence of hardware related complications in mandibular reconstruction. Oncologic or non oncologic patients, with the use of miniplates and two different reconstruction plates to fix the bone of the fibula osteocutaneous free flap.

Type: clinical series.

Methods: 90 consecutive patients, that came to our center, who were exposed to segmental mandibular resections and posterior reconstructions with free fibula flap, between April 2000 and April 2010, with a minimum follow up of 12 months. The fixation technique were miniplates, reconstruction plates and low plate profile with locking screw technology.

The parameters that defined hardware complications included loose screws, osteosynthesis non union, exposition and fracture plate.

Patients risk factors measured included tumor localization, and radiotherapy.

Results: The overall incidence of hardware-related complication rate was 22% and the most frecuently were the loose of the srews.

The overall complication rate was 28% for the miniplates, 23% for reconstruction plates and 16% for low profile locking reconstruction plates.

Conclusions: In patients requiring segmental mandibular free flap reconstruction, reconstruction plates have proven to be effective in aiding healing and showed a lower incidence of complications in reference to miniplates. For the reconstruction plates, the incidence of complications is lesser, but appears related to the plate dimension and risk factors.

Statistically significant patients predictors of hardware complications included: local mandible defect localization and radiotherapy.

Conflict of interest: None declared.