[The lateral approach to the base of the skull (author's transl)]

Report on 15-years personal experience in surgery of the transmandibular approach. 20 benign and 10 malignant tumors of primary location in the retromaxillary region had been operated by total removal: 7 pleomorphic adenomas arising from aberrant salivary glands, 3 neurofibromas, 1 neuroma, 1 gangliocytoneuroma, 1 hemangiopericytoma, 2 extracranial located meningeomas, 3 lipomas. Only in case of lipomas splitting of the mandible could be avoided. Malignant tumors had been managed by excisional surgery of 3 malignant pleomorphic adenomas, 4 adenoid-cystic carcinomas. Only biopsy had been achieved of 3 sarcomas. For diagnosis careful clinical examination including Eustachian tube function test, X-ray tomograms and angiography are very helpful.