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The present article offers a mixed-method perspective on the investigation of determinants of effectiveness in quality assurance at higher education institutions. We collected survey data from German higher education institutions to analyse the degree to which quality managers perceive their approaches to quality assurance as effective. Based on this data, we develop an ordinary least squares regression model which explains perceived effectiveness through structural variables and certain quality assurance-related activities of quality managers. The results show that support by higher education institutions' higher management and cooperation with other education institutions are relevant preconditions for larger perceived degrees of quality assurance effectiveness. Moreover, quality managers' role as promoters of quality assurance exhibits significant correlations with perceived effectiveness. In contrast, sanctions and the perception of quality assurance as another administrative burden reveal negative correlations.

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The aim of this study was to retrospectively analyze surgical outcome and complications of 540 free flap procedures performed at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf during 1987-2005. A total of 532 patients were reconstructed with 540 flaps: 32% were latissimus dorsi flaps, 23% were radial forearm flaps, 21% were iliac crest flaps, 10% were fibula flaps, 6% were jejunal flaps, and 8% were other flaps. Thrombosis of one of the vessels and hematoma were the most frequent causes of failure in microvascular free tissue transfer. A total free flap failure occurred in 34 (6.2%) and a partial flap failure in 42 (7.7%) patients. The most reliable flap in regard to survival was the radial forearm flap. The present study confirms that free flaps are extremely reliable in achieving successful reconstruction of the head and neck.

Because the local extension of the disease and its relationship to anatomic structures can be sufficiently detected by CBCT, we see an important additional indication for the usage of CBCT. With regard to distinct cases CBCT combined with scintigraphy seems to be a sufficient diagnostic strategy concerning suspected OM.

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