Controversies in Oral and Maxillofacial Oncology.

Imaging studies are essential components of tumor diagnosis, staging, assessing tumor response to neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapies, and postoperative surveillance on completion of definitive treatment. Treatment of early stage clinically node negative oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma is controversial. Approximately 3% of all head and neck tumors arise within the parotid gland and most often within the superficial lobe, lateral to the facial nerve; about 80% are benign and most are pleomorphic adenoma. In patients with dry eyes failing multiple other treatment modalities and facing ongoing pain and loss of vision, microvascular transplant of the submandibular gland is a viable option.

Clinical Pathway Implementation Improves Efficiency of Care in a Maxillofacial Head and Neck Surgery Unit.

PURPOSE: Clinical pathways have become an important and simple method of improving patient outcomes and decreasing health care resource usage. The purpose of this study was to evaluate early outcomes associated with the implementation of a clinical pathway in a maxillofacial head and neck surgery unit. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This investigation is a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent microvascular reconstruction of the head and neck from January 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014. Continuous variables were compared among 4 groups using analysis of variance or Kruskal-Wallis test, and categorical variables were compared using χ2 test or Fisher exact test where appropriate. The primary predictor variable was use of the clinical pathway. Groups included patients treated by surgeon A during periods before and after implementation of a postoperative clinical pathway. Two groups treated by surgeon B also were evaluated during the same periods and served as external controls. Each period covered a span of 6 months. Outcome variables across groups were evaluated, including length-of-stay metrics, infection rates, transfers to the intensive care unit, and unplanned return to the operating room. RESULTS: Sixty-six patients who underwent microvascular head and neck reconstruction were included. There was a significant decrease in the average length of stay (P = .0364) and an increase in the rate of discharge within 7 days (P = .0416) in the group treated with the clinical pathway. Other outcomes, including infection rate, transfer to the intensive care unit, and unanticipated return to the operating room, showed no relevant difference among groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that implementation of a clinical pathway can be beneficial for efficient management of postoperative care in the setting of microvascular head and neck reconstruction. More predictable and shorter lengths of stay are achievable and the clinical pathway serves as a valuable means of improving communication of the clinical care team.

Whole-Arch Single-Stage Free Flap Reconstruction and Rehabilitation of the Mandible: A Case Report and Technical Considerations on a New Technique.

The purpose of this report is to describe the techniques used in the reconstruction of a complete angle-to-angle mandibular defect in the absence of any remaining mandibular teeth. Because no remaining dental or occlusal landmarks remain in such a case, additional challenges must be considered.

Does the Amount of Screw Fixation Utilized for the Condylar Component of the TMJ Concepts Total Temporomandibular Joint Reconstruction Predispose to Hardware Loss or Postoperative Complications?

PURPOSE: To determine whether the number of screws used to fixate a TMJ Concepts total joint prosthesis correlates with loss of hardware fixation or postoperative complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing total temporomandibular joint (TMJ) reconstruction with the TMJ Concepts custom prosthesis at the Mayo Clinic from 2005 to 2015 was undertaken. The primary predictor variable was the percentage of screw fixation used in the condylar component. The primary outcome variable was loss of hardware fixation. Secondary outcome variables included postoperative wound infection, removal of hardware, and return to the operating room. Covariates abstracted included patient demographics, comorbidity indices, preoperative occlusion, contralateral TMJ reconstruction, performing surgeon, duration of procedure and anesthesia, intraoperative fluid administration, concomitant surgical procedures, perioperative antibiotics, prior TMJ surgeries, prior Proplast Teflon implantation, prior head and neck radiation, use of heterotopic ossification radiation protocol, and use of the 2 most superior screw holes in the condylar component. RESULTS: The study sample was composed of 45 patients representing 64 TMJ Concepts reconstructions. Mean age was 49.1 years (standard deviation, 13.4 yr; range, 19 to 85 yr). The female distribution was 86%. There were 15 simultaneous bilateral reconstructions, 26 unilateral reconstructions, and 4 staged bilateral reconstructions. Eighteen reconstructions (28%) were placed using 100% of the available screw holes in the condylar component. Forty-six reconstructions (72%) were placed using fewer than 100% of the available screw holes in the condylar component (range of screw fixation, 56 to 89%). The minimum number of screws used to fixate the condylar component was 5, which was observed in 9 reconstructions (14%). There was no postoperative loss of hardware fixation in any reconstruction under study. Six reconstructions showed a postoperative complication defined by the secondary outcomes. Univariable or multivariable modeling was precluded for the primary and secondary outcomes owing to the low frequency of observed complications. CONCLUSION: Fixating the condylar component of the TMJ Concepts total joint prosthesis using fewer than 100% of the available screw holes does not predispose the reconstruction to hardware loss, particularly if greater than 50% screw fixation can be achieved or a minimum of 5 screws are used.

Application of the Surgical Apgar Score to Microvascular Head and Neck Reconstruction.

PURPOSE: The surgical Apgar score (SAS) is a recently devised risk-stratifying metric that relies on 3 intraoperative parameters to predict postoperative complications in surgical patients. The purpose of this study was to validate the SAS externally in a cohort of patients undergoing microvascular head and neck reconstruction with fibular free flaps. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing head and neck microvascular reconstruction with fibular free flaps was completed. The primary predictor variable was the calculated SAS. The primary outcome variable was the presence of medical and surgical complications occurring within 30 days of surgery. Basic demographic information, comorbidity indices, and perioperative parameters were abstracted as covariates. Medical and surgical complications were categorized as minor or major depending on severity level. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to evaluate associations with 30-day postoperative complications. RESULTS: In 154 patients, the partial flap failure rate was 3% and there were no complete flap failures. There were 110 patients (71%) who developed at least 1 30-day postoperative complication and 51 (33%) who developed a major complication. The median SAS was 7. The SAS was not significantly associated with the presence of any 30-day postoperative complication (odds ratio [OR] = 1.02; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.74-1.42; P = .89) or the presence of any major postoperative complication (OR = 0.08; 95% CI, 0.59-1.09; P = .16) in a univariable setting. The SAS did not achieve statistical significance after multivariable adjustment. CONCLUSION: Despite validation in numerous other surgical specialties, the SAS might not be useful as a metric for risk stratification among patients undergoing major head and neck reconstruction with fibular free flaps.

The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Surgical Risk Calculator Does Not Accurately Predict Risk of 30-Day Complications Among Patients Undergoing Microvascular Head and Neck Reconstruction.

PURPOSE: The American College of Surgeons (ACS) National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) Surgical Risk Calculator (SRC) is a novel universal risk calculator designed to aid in risk stratification of patients undergoing various types of major surgery. The purpose of this study was to assess the validity of the ACS NSQIP SRC in predicting postoperative complications in patients undergoing microvascular head and neck reconstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing head and neck microvascular reconstruction with fibular free flaps at a single institution was completed. The NSQIP SRC was used to compute complication risk estimates and length of stay (LOS) estimates for all patients under study. Associations between complication risk estimates generated by the SRC and actual rates of observed complications were evaluated using logistic regression models. Logistic regression models also were used to evaluate the SRC estimates for LOS duration compared with the actual observed LOS after surgery. RESULTS: Of 153 patients under study, 46 (30%) developed a postoperative complication corresponding to those defined by NSQIP SRC. Thirty-eight patients (25%) developed a postoperative complication categorized as severe in the parameters of the NSQIP SRC. None of the SRC complication estimates showed a statistically relevant association with the corresponding observed rates of complications. The mean LOS predicted by the SRC was 8.0 days (median, 7.5 days; interquartile range [IQR], 6.5 to 9; range, 5.0 to 18.5 days). The mean observed LOS for the study group was 9.6 days (median, 7.0 days; IQR, 6 to 9; range, 5 to 67 days). Lin's (Biometrics 45:255, 1989) concordance correlation coefficient to measure agreement between observed and predicted LOS was 0.10, indicating only slight agreement between the 2 values. CONCLUSION: The ACS NSQIP SRC is not a useful risk-stratifying metric for patients undergoing major head and neck reconstruction with microvascular fibular free flaps. The SRC also does not accurately predict hospital LOS for this same patient cohort.

Reconstruction of acquired oromandibular defects.

Acquired defects of the mandible resulting from trauma, infection, osteoradionecrosis, and ablative surgery of the oral cavity and lower face are particularly debilitating. Familiarity with mandibular and cervical anatomy is crucial in achieving mandibular reconstruction. The surgeon must evaluate which components of the hard and soft tissue are missing in selecting a method of reconstruction. Complexity of mandibular reconstruction ranges from simple rigid internal fixation to microvascular free tissue transfer, depending on defect- and patient-related factors. Modern techniques for microvascular tissue transfer provide a wide array of reconstructive options that can be tailored to patients' specific needs.