Mandibulotomy Approach for Resection of Maxillary Tumours: A Clinical Review

The objective of this study was to assess the accessibility in the resection of maxillary tumours, resection margin status, and morbidity following maxillectomy through lip split with paramedian mandibulotomy approach.

A retrospective review of 20 consecutive patients who underwent maxillectomy with resection of primary tumours through lip split mandibulotomy approach with supraomohyoid neck dissection for maxillary tumours between 2008 and 2016. Patients details including the tumours site, extension and neck node involvement. were recorded. Resection technique, status of surgical resected margins was also discussed. Disease status was obtained from patients follow up records. Morbidity was assessed at mandibulotomy site in terms of infection, osteotomy healing, neural disturbance and mouth opening. The institutional research committee approval was taken for this study.

All patients underwent adequate en bloc resection of the tumours, except in two patients in whom superior margins was positive. Osteotomy site healed well in our all patients except in one patient in whom there was infection at the osteotomy site during post radiation therapy. Minimal neural morbidity was encountered in four patients (three patients had lingual nerve hypothesia and two patients had inferior alveolar nerve hypothesia) which recovered in all four patients, over the 6th month post-operative period. Post-operative interincisal distance was satisfactory with a mean of 30.5 mm.

Mandibulotomy with lip split is considered to be an ideal approach to access tumours of maxilla and its adjacent structures, SOHND with level III clearance. This approach provide excellent accessibility for en bloc resection of operable maxillary tumours with good outcome of resultant scar and minimal morbidity.