Oral cavity reconstruction outcomes using a porcine urinary bladder matrix: A retrospective case series

Objective. The purpose of this study is to assess healing outcomes in full-thickness mucosal wounds following the use of a porcine urinary bladder matrix to augment mixed oral cavity repairs. Materials and Methods. A retrospective chart analysis was conducted over a 58-month timespan. Participants included individuals with osteoradionecrosis. Descriptive measures obtained in the postoperative setting were used to examine wound healing outcomes. Results. Thirty-nine encounters with 35 patients met inclusion criteria for assessment. The mean defect size repaired was 14 cm². Successful healing occurred in 64% of cases. Scarring was observed in 10 cases, and 3 cases demonstrated transient functional deficits. Reapplication of the xenograft was required in 4 cases. Only 1 acute event of hemorrhage and 1 infection were observed in the postoperative period. Conclusions. Use of porcine urinary bladder matrix grafts for oral cavity reconstruction was well tolerated in a diverse number of wound scenarios with a relatively low risk of postoperative complication. The use of porcine urinary bladder matrix was not observed to provide any noteworthy advantages for the healing of recalcitrant osteoradionecrosis wounds.