Panagiotis Stathopoulos1, Maria Elli Doufexi Kaplani2, Nikolaos Kostis3, Dimosthenis Igoumenakis4, William P Smith5. 1. Dublin Dental University Hospital, 2 Lincoln Place, Dublin, D02 VX37, Ireland. pan_stath@yahoo.gr. 2. Panteion University, Athens, Greece. 3. Swansea University, Swansea, UK. 4. Biostatistics, Heraklion General Hospital, Heraklion, Greece. 5. Northampton General Hospital, Northampton, UK.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Head and neck surgeons often face a challenge in order to achieve adequate three-dimensional resection of tumours in the oral cavity, especially in the dentate patient. METHODS: We compared the outcomes of lip-split mandibulotomy and trans-oral access, respectively, in patients treated for primary pT2 oral tongue SCC with regard to the status of the resection margins and the incidence of tumour recurrence. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis showed a non-significant effect of the surgical technique used to the reported recurrence, F(1, 224) = 0.350, p = .555 and a significant effect on the margins achieved F(1, 224) = 11.381, p = .001. CONCLUSIONS: Defects after excision of larger and more posterior tumours that are going to be reconstructed with free flaps represent a more probable indication for using an osteotomy access technique. Lip-split mandibulotomy is a low-morbidity technique which can deliver a sound oncological outcome and can be relatively easily taught to less experienced surgeons.
BACKGROUND: Head and neck surgeons often face a challenge in order to achieve adequate three-dimensional resection of tumours in the oral cavity, especially in the dentate patient. METHODS: We compared the outcomes of lip-split mandibulotomy and trans-oral access, respectively, in patients treated for primary pT2 oral tongue SCC with regard to the status of the resection margins and the incidence of tumour recurrence. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis showed a non-significant effect of the surgical technique used to the reported recurrence, F(1, 224) = 0.350, p = .555 and a significant effect on the margins achieved F(1, 224) = 11.381, p = .001. CONCLUSIONS: Defects after excision of larger and more posterior tumours that are going to be reconstructed with free flaps represent a more probable indication for using an osteotomy access technique. Lip-split mandibulotomy is a low-morbidity technique which can deliver a sound oncological outcome and can be relatively easily taught to less experienced surgeons.