The Transverse Turbinate Line: A Reliable Landmark for the Maxillary Sinus Natural Ostium.

OBJECTIVES: Approximating the maxillary sinus natural ostium's (MSNO) natural position during anterograde surgery is challenging, as only a single visual "landmark," the maxillary line, is routinely offered to guide the identification of the MSNO in three-dimensional space. Despite almost 40 years of endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) experience in North America, maxillary recirculation and discontinuity between the natural and surgical ostia are commonly encountered during revision ESS. Consequently, we feel an additional visual landmark would assist in localizing the MSNO with or without image guidance. In this study, we aim to provide a second reliable landmark in the sinonasal cavity. METHODS: We present a cadaveric anatomical landmark series that provides a second visual landmark for the MSNO, which we have labeled the transverse turbinate line (TTL): a 2-millimeter zone of confidence for the craniocaudal positioning of the MSNO that can be combined with the anteroposterior (AP) landmark of the maxillary line. RESULTS: In our study, 40 cadaveric sinuses were dissected, and the TTL was found to correspond consistently with the zone between the superior and inferior aspects of the MSNO. CONCLUSION: We anticipate that this second relational landmark may decrease the time required for anterograde access to the MSNO in trainees, increase the accuracy of identification, and translate to lower long-term recirculation and maxillary surgery failure rates. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: NA Laryngoscope, 133:3285-3291, 2023.

Does lymphovascular invasion predict survival in oral cancer? A population-based analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate lymphovascular invasion as an independent predictor for overall survival in patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Multi-center, population-based facilities reporting to the National Cancer Database registry. METHODS: The database was accessed to collect data on patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma. A multivariate cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze the association between presence of lymphovascular invasion and overall survival. RESULTS: 16,992 patients met inclusion criteria. 3,457 patients had lymphovascular invasion. The mean follow-up was 32 ± 19 months. Lymphovascular invasion predicted reduced 2-year overall survival (relative hazard 1.29, 95% CI: 1.20, 1.38, p < 0.001) and 5-year overall survival (relative hazard 1.30, 95% CI: 1.23, 1.39, p < 0.001). LVI reduced overall survival in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue (HR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.17, 1.39, p < 0.001), floor of mouth (HR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.17, 1.52, p < 0.001) and buccal mucosa (HR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.15, 1.81, p = 0.001). Patients with lymphovascular invasion treated with surgery plus post-operative radiotherapy had significantly improved survival compared to those who underwent surgery alone (relative hazard 1.79, 95% CI: 1.58, 2.03, p < 0.001), and patients treated with surgery + post-operative chemoradiotherapy had improved survival compared to those treated with surgery alone (relative hazard 2.0, 95% CI: 2.26, 1.79, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Lymphovascular invasion is an important independent risk factor for decreased overall survival in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma involving the oral tongue, floor of mouth and buccal mucosa subsites.

Retromolar trigone squamous cell carcinoma: A population-based analysis of survival.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the difference in overall survival (OS) in patients with retromolar trigone squamous cell carcinoma (RMT SCC) treated with surgery alone versus surgery plus postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) versus surgery plus postoperative chemoradiotherapy (POCRT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of patients from 1,500 US facilities reporting to the National Cancer Database (NCDB) registry. Participants were adult patients treated with surgery as primary treatment modality for RMT SCC (n = 2,877). Exposures were primary definitive surgery versus surgery + PORT versus surgery + POCRT. Outcomes included OS after diagnosis and treatment of RMT SCC. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was constructed to compare survival between the three treatment modalities. Subgroup analysis was performed by T classification and overall staging. RESULTS: There were 1,415 (50%) patients treated with surgery alone, 870 (30%) patients treated with surgery + PORT, and 572 (20%) treated with surgery + POCRT. Treatment with surgery + PORT was associated with improved OS compared to surgery alone (relative hazard: 1.25, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.54, p = 0.042). Patients treated with surgery + POCRT also had improved OS compared with surgery alone (relative hazard: 1.89, 95% CI 1.45, 2.43, p < 0.001). Patients with T3/4 tumors had improved OS when treated with surgery + PORT (relative hazard 1.39, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.84, p = 0.022) or surgery + POCRT (relative hazard 2.27, 95% CI: 1.66, 3.15, p < 0.001). Patients with T1 or T2 disease had no significant difference in survival in both the surgery + PORT (p = 0.331) and surgery + POCRT treatment groups (p = 0.134). Therefore, there was no difference in OS for patients with stage I or II disease treated with surgery + PORT (p = 0.451), nor with surgery + POCRT (p = 0.853). CONCLUSION: Treatment with surgery + PORT +/- chemotherapy appears to be associated with significantly improved OS compared to surgery alone for advanced RMT SCCa.