Reconstruction of maxillectomy and midfacial defects using latissimus dorsi-scapular free flaps in a comprehensive cancer center.

BACKGROUND: The standard of care for sinonasal malignancies is a large surgical resection followed by radiotherapy. Midfacial defects resulting from maxillectomy require a complex reconstruction procedure. Given their adaptability, chimeric flaps such as latissimus dorsi-scapular (LDS) free flaps appear to be a good option. MATERIAL & METHODS: We performed a single-center retrospective study of consecutive patients with sinonasal cancers where a LDS free flap was used for reconstruction. We assessed the postoperative complications and the functional, aesthetic and oncologic outcomes. RESULTS: Eighty-four patients were included. Primary tumors were staged as T4a in 68% of cases; 38.3% of the patients received induction chemotherapy and 82.7% received adjuvant radiotherapy. Based on our classification of midfacial and palatal defects, the majority of the patients (69%) had a type IIa with interruption of the three facial pillars. The orbital floor was removed in 55.9% of cases. The median follow-up was 45 months. Total flap necrosis with no possible revascularization occurred in 5.9% of cases. For the orbital reconstruction, a revision procedure was needed for necrosis and/or infection of the costal cartilage graft in eight cases (17%). More than 90% of the patients had no functional disorders regarding speaking, swallowing and chewing. Soft palate involvement was a prognostic factor of speech (p < 10-4) and swallowing (p = .005) disorders. Dental rehabilitation was realized in 70.2% of the patients. No severe complications were observed in the donor site, except for one seroma. CONCLUSION: A LDS free flap is a reliable technique for the reconstruction of complex midfacial defects.

Tumor-induced Osteomalacia in a 3-Year-Old With Unresectable Central Giant Cell Lesions.

Tumor-induced osteomalacia (TIO) is a rare cause of hypophosphatemia involving overproduction of fibroblast growth factor 23. TIO has been described largely in adults with small mesenchymal tumors. We report a case of TIO in a child who presented with knee pain and radiographic findings concerning for rickets, and was found to have maxillomandibular giant cell lesions. The patient was treated with oral phosphorus and calcitriol, surgical debulking, and intralesional corticosteroids, which resulted in tumor regression and normalization of serum fibroblast growth factor 23 and phosphorus. This case illustrates the occurrence of this rare paraneoplastic syndrome in children and adds to our knowledge about clinical manifestations and pathologic findings associated with pediatric TIO.

Clinicopathological Study of Primary Intraosseous Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Jaw and a Review of the Literature.

PURPOSE: Primary intraosseous squamous cell carcinoma (PIOSCC) is a rare malignant odontogenic tumor that originates from odontogenic epithelial remnants. It is often difficult to diagnose PIOSCC definitively; hence, extraction or surgical treatment is performed before the initial diagnosis in most cases. The present study examined new insights into and prognostic factors of patients with PIOSCC admitted to the authors' department. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An extensive record review was conducted of patients who underwent radical surgery for PIOSCC from January 2001 through December 2014. RESULTS: Of all cases of OSCC, the frequency of PIOSCC was 1.45%. The 2-year relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 50.0 and 41.6% in all cases, respectively. Three patients underwent surgery or tooth extraction before the initial diagnosis; in fact, intervention before initial diagnosis was found to be an important poor prognostic factor for RFS and OS. In contrast, patients who were not treated before the initial diagnosis was made did not exhibit any locoregional recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: The treatment of PIOSCC should be similar to that for oral cancer with at least clinical stage T3N0 in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network clinical practice guidelines. In addition, cases of PIOSCC that are not treated before the initial diagnosis are more likely to obtain a good prognosis.

An Adverse Implication of Radiation Therapy for Implant-Retained Maxillofacial Prostheses.

We report the 19-year postoperative course of a patient whose maxillary defect was reconstructed with maxillofacial implant-retained facial prostheses. The patient received 60 Gy of radiation therapy. Adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen therapy was administered and four 4.0-mm long maxillofacial implants were inserted. Four years and 6 months after insertion surgery, two of the four implants were lost and the others showed bone regression in the surrounding bone. All implants were replaced with Epitec System maxillofacial implants placed in non-irradiated bone. Eleven years and 6 months after replacement, the Epitec System has been maintaining good and firm osseointegration. Appropriate selection of implant sites and no history of radiation therapy are keys to successful implant reconstruction. However, adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen therapy is believed to be effective, osseointegrated implant should be inserted at a point appropriately distant from an irradiated lesion.

Assessment of quality of life after implant-retained prosthetically reconstructed maxillae and mandibles postcancer treatments.

PURPOSE: The aim of this prospective study was to assess treatment outcome and impact on quality of life with implant-retained prosthesis in reconstructed jaws in head and neck cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve patients were rehabilitated with implant-retained dental prosthesis following free fibular graft after segmental resection. These subjects were evaluated by standardized questionnaires European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 (version 3) and clinical assessment for quality of life. Objective assessment of speech parameters was done with Dr. Speech Software (Tiger DRS Inc., Seattle, WA). The questionnaire consisting of information on evaluation of deglutition, salivation, status of the mandible and teeth in relation to predisease level was used for subjective judgment of speech. RESULTS: Consumption of solid, semisolid, and overcooked food was considerably better with the prosthesis. Drinking ability was not affected. Patients' voice resonance was improved, and they could sustain phonation for longer duration without difficulty. They were able to speak loudly, and their intonation pattern was also slightly better. Failure of the implants to osseointegrate at the end of 18 months was observed in 37% of the patients. This was attributed to radiation before implant insertions and periimplantitis. Despite the observed improvement in some patients, the statistical analysis of speech, swallowing parameters, and quality of life were not significant because of the paucity of numbers in this pilot study. There was no improvement in the symptoms scale scores. CONCLUSION: Reconstruction and rehabilitation of the jaws affected by tumor restores the patient anatomically, esthetically, and functionally to optimum levels. However, a study with larger numbers of patients is necessary to ascertain the benefits of this treatment modality.

Successful elective surgery in a patient with a positive preoperative cocaine toxicology screen.

A positive result on preoperative cocaine toxicology screening has traditionally been a contraindication to immediate nonemergency surgery. We describe a case of major but not emergency head and neck surgery on a patient with a massive ossifying fibroma whose preoperative toxicology screen was positive for cocaine. The surgery was completed without complication, and the patient recovered uneventfully. The decision to proceed with surgery was based on the fact that the results of urine cocaine screening can remain positive long after the cocaine itself has become metabolically inactive, and thus the results may not reflect the actual presence of cocaine or the degree of current intoxication. Our institution has concluded that elective head and neck surgery may be safely performed in carefully selected, hemodynamically stable patients who have tested positive for cocaine ingestion provided that they have been closely observed for 8 hours preoperatively and that they have provided informed consent. Outcome studies are needed.

[Maxilla-mandibular brown tumors as a first sign of parathyroid adenoma]. / Tumeurs brunes maxillomandibulaires révélant un adénome parathyroïdien.

OBJECTIVES: Through a novel observation of parathyroid adenoma revealed by brown tumors of the jaws and a review of the literature, the authors describe this rare mode of primary hyperparathyroidism discovery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The patient was a 23-year-old woman who consulted for a recurrent tumefaction of the maxillary; histology showed reparative giant cell granuloma. RESULTS: The clinical examination found an osseous tumefaction in continuity with the zygomatic bone and a gingival tumefaction on the mandible symphysis. The radiological findings showed two osteophytic lesions: mandibular and maxillary. The phosphocalcic metabolism was disturbed and the parathormone rate was high. The etiologic search consisted of a MRI of the neck, which showed a mass behind the thyroid gland, suggesting a parathyroid adenoma. The diagnosis was confirmed at surgical exploration. After removal of this tumor, the blood calcium rate dropped sharply and the bone tumefaction progressively regressed. CONCLUSION: Brown tumors are a rare mode of parathyroid adenoma discovery, and the jaw location is exceptional. The diagnosis is based on the parathormone rate, and radiological exams generally find the etiology. Treatment is based on surgery of the parathyroid adenoma.

Improvement in quality of life of an oncological patient by laser phototherapy.

OBJECTIVE AND BACKGROUND DATA: Common side effects of radiotherapy (RT) to the head and neck include oral mucositis, xerostomia, and severe pain. The aim of this study is to report improvement in the quality of life of an oncological patient by laser phototherapy (LPT). CLINICAL CASE AND LASER PHOTOTHERAPY PROTOCOL: The patient, a 15-year-old girl diagnosed with mucoepidermoid carcinoma, underwent surgical excision of a tumor of the left palatomaxilla. After that, she was subjected to 35 sessions of RT (2 Gy/d). Clinical examination revealed the spread of severe ulcerations to the jugal mucosa, gums, lips, hard palate, and tongue (WHO mucositis score 3). She had difficulty in moving her tongue and she was unable to eat any solid food. Oral hygiene orientation and LPT were performed throughout all RT sessions. A continuous diode laser, 660 nm, 40 mW, 6 J/cm(2), 0.24 J per point in contact mode, with spot size of 0.04 cm(2) was used in the entire oral cavity. A high-power diode laser at 1 W, 10 sec per cm of mucositis, approximately 10 J/cm(2), was used in defocused mode only on ulcerative lesions. After the first laser irradiation session, decreases in pain and xerostomia were reported; however, a more significant improvement was seen after five sessions. At that point although the mucositis score was still 2, the patient reported that she was free of pain, and consequently a palatine plate could be made to rehabilitate the entire surgical area. Seventeen laser irradiation sessions were necessary to eliminate all oral mucositis lesions. CONCLUSION: Normal oral function and consequent improvements in the quality of life of this oncologic patient were observed with LPT.

Adjuvant antiangiogenic therapy for giant cell tumors of the jaws.

PURPOSE: To further evaluate a novel treatment protocol for the management of aggressive giant cell lesions (GCLs) consisting of enucleation followed by adjuvant subcutaneous interferon alpha therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Using a retrospective case series study design, a sample of patients with aggressive GCLs was enrolled between April 1995 and June 2006. Lesions were enucleated with preservation of vital structures. Postoperatively, the patients received daily subcutaneous interferon alpha (3 million units/m2 of body surface area). Interferon treatment continued with regular clinical and radiographic follow-up until the surgical defects filled in with bone, as demonstrated by panoramic radiographs and confirmed by computed tomography. Side effects, such as fever, fatigue, weight loss, decreased white blood cell count, decreased platelet count and elevated liver enzymes, were monitored. After completion of interferon therapy, patients followed for 2 years without evidence of recurrence were considered cured of disease. RESULTS: The study sample was comprised of 26 subjects (65% female) with a mean age of 18.5 years. At the time of this writing, 16 of the subjects have completed the protocol and are cured of disease, 6 are in remission, and 4 are in active treatment. Four subjects experienced significant side effects from the interferon, requiring modification of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Enucleation of aggressive GCLs with preservation of vital structures and adjuvant interferon is an excellent strategy for managing aggressive GCLs. Approximately 15% of subjects developed significant side effects limiting interferon administration and necessitating alternative therapies.

Ivory osteoma of the craniofacial skeleton.

The authors describe the clinical presentation, investigation, and surgical management of two cases of benign ivory osteoma of the craniofacial skeleton. In the first case, a bony mass located over the frontal region had become a cosmetic burden to the patient, and she requested removal with minimal morbidity. Accordingly, an endoscopic procedure, with minimal access incisions located behind the hairline, was devised. In the second case, the patient, a Jehovah's Witness, presented with a long history of slowly enlarging bony masses over the maxilla and in the pterygopalatine space. She finally requested surgical intervention when the symptoms of pain related to fifth nerve compression at the foramen ovale became intolerable. Key aspects of the preoperative and perioperative management strategies used to avoid blood transfusion are detailed, as is the surgical approach, which included a bicoronal scalp flap with temporary removal of the zygomatic arch and the coronoid process. Finally, the etiology, histology, and natural history of ivory osteomas are discussed.

Restorative dentistry using a multidisciplinary approach.

Multidisciplinary treatment was essential for this patient to optimally manage the occlusion and missing teeth. When the space distribution was completed, ridge management procedures for pontic site development were accomplished. The final restorative treatment required was actually minimized to a 7-unit fixed partial denture. It was apparent the multidisciplinary treatment was essential to predictably manage this patient by decreasing risk and ensuring a long-term strategy for enhanced patient satisfaction.

Life table analysis and clinical evaluation of oral implants supporting prostheses after resection of malignant tumors.

Seventeen mostly elderly patients, 13 men and 4 women, were consecutively admitted for implant-prosthodontic treatment after they had undergone resection of malignant tumors in the oral cavity. A total of 53 dental implants (ITI-Straumann) was placed, 12 in the maxilla, 41 in the mandible. The prosthetic rehabilitation consisted of overdenture therapy in 15 patients, and 2 patients were treated with fixed partial prostheses. Thirty-three implants were prescribed for patients who received radiotherapy either before or after implant placement. The average dose varied between 50 and 74 Gy. Eighteen implants were located in grafted bone from the fibula, scapula, or hip. For 2 patients, hyperbaric oxygen therapy was also prescribed after osteoradionecrosis had developed. One implant was lost before prosthetic loading. During an observation period of up to 7 years after loading, 3 more implants were removed. All implant losses occurred in the mandibles of patients who had received radiotherapy. A life table analysis was performed, and the cumulative survival rates, calculated for 2, 3, and 5 years, were 93%, 90%, and 90% respectively. No failures or complications were observed with technical components of the implants or prostheses. All prostheses could be maintained during the entire observation time. Although in the present investigation the survival rate of implants was slightly lower than under standard conditions, the treatment with implant-supported prostheses seemed to be advantageous for patients who had undergone intraoral resections.

Multicenter experience with maxillary prostheses supported by Brånemark implants: a clinical report.

This retrospective study involved Japanese patients with prostheses supported by Brånemark implants following maxillectomy. Questionnaires were sent to 75 institutions, and data on 19 patients were collected from 8 institutions. The mean age of patients at the time of implant placement was 64.2 years (range 22 to 82 years). The mean follow-up time was 27.6 months. Of the 81 implants placed, 16 were lost for an implant survival rate of 80.2%. The effects on implant survival rate of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and the support system of the prosthesis were analyzed, but no significant differences were observed.

Effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on osseointegration of titanium implants in irradiated bone: a preliminary report.

Four patients who had undergone combined surgical and radiotherapeutic treatment for maxillofacial cancer had osseointegrated titanium implants placed in the bone of the treated region at various intervals after irradiation. Preoperatively and postoperatively, hyperbaric oxygen therapy was administered to the patients at the level of 2 or 3 atmosphere absolute (ATA). Of the 21 fixtures placed, one was lost because of lack of osseointegration, rendering the survival rate 92.3%. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy seemed to be a viable method to improve the survival rate of fixtures in irradiated bone tissue.

[Use of cytostatics in polymer-drug complexes in the treatment of malignant neoplasms of the maxilla]. / Primenenie tsitostatikov v sostave polimerlekarstvennykh kompleksov pri lechenii zlokachestvennykh novoobrazovanii verkhnei cheliusti.

The authors analyze the efficacy of antitumor drugs deposited with cyanoacrylate adhesive solution in therapy of Stages III-IV maxillary tumors. Immediate and late results of therapy with these compositions of 21 patients evidence that such treatment is not associated with the wound or general toxic complications and that wounds may be managed without tampons. Deposition of the drug and its regulated elimination from the composition helps create a high concentration of the agent at the operation site where the tumor elements remained after surgery; this permits expecting better late results.

[Cancer of the maxillary antrum--a new multidisciplinary treatment containing neo-adjuvant chemotherapy].

During the period 1957-1982, 227 patients with maxillary carcinoma were treated. These cases were divided into 4 groups according to periods and methods of treatment. Five-year determinate survival figures for each group are as follows: I (1957-1966) 22%, 20/91, II (1967-1973) 40%, 27/67, III (1974-1978) 37%, 13/35, IV (1979-1982) 56%, 9/16 (3-year survival). The incorporation of intraarterial chemotherapy into the treatment of maxillary carcinoma has much contributed to an improvement of 5-year survival. Since 1982, a new multidisciplinary treatment containing neo-adjuvant chemotherapy has been introduced into the treatment of this type of carcinoma. Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy: day 1, cisplatin ( CPDD ) 50 mg/m2 or 80 mg/body i.a. over 2 hr., day 2-6, peplomycin (PEP) 5 mg/day i.a. over 5 hr. Two courses of chemotherapy were given with an interval of 2 weeks. Radiotherapy combined with intraarterial chemotherapy: Linac. 40 Gy/4 wks., 5-FU i.a. 250 mg/day q.d. (for 10 days). When no cancer cells were detected at the completion of this therapy, adjuvant chemoimmunotherapy was given. When an apparent tumor was still revealed by CT, radical surgery was performed. When cancer cells were detected only by histological examination, additional radiotherapy up to 60 Gy was given by Linac. The results obtained were analysed in 9 patients who completed this therapy. At the completion of CPDD and PEP treatment, complete response was achieved in 5 cases and partial response in 3 cases with a response rate of 89%. In 2 out of the 9 cases, no cancer cells were detected by histological examination after chemotherapy. No cancer cells were detected in 2 other cases after 40 Gy by Linac. combined with 5-FU i.a. infusion, and in 3 other cases after 60 Gy by Linac. combined with 5-FU. Two patients had radical surgery because of uncontrolled tumors. Periods of follow-up are too short, but it is expected that this new multidisciplinary treatment results in the higher survival.