Francisco J. Rodríguez-Campo

Elective neck dissection in early-stage oral squamous cell carcinoma—does it influence recurrence and survival?

This study investigates the influence on survival and regional control rates of neck dissection therapy at the time of surgery of the primary tumor in early stages of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity.

Local recurrences and second primary tumors from squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity: A retrospective analytic study of 500 patients

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of local recurrences (LRs) and second primary tumors (SPTs) from squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity primarily treated with surgery and to further study their relationship with several primary tumor clinical and pathological features.

Vascularized free fibular flap for the reconstruction of mandibular defects: clinical experience in 42 cases

OBJECTIVE Since the advent of modern microvascular techniques, the fibula has become a reliable method for the reconstruction of partial or total mandibular defects. The purpose of this study is to evaluate our experience with the use of the vascularized free fibular flap for the reconstruction of mandibular defects following surgical resection. PATIENTS AND METHODS During a 5-year period, 102 consecutive patients were treated in our department for reconstruction of oral and maxillofacial defects, using microvascularized free flaps. Forty-two patients were reconstructed by means of the free vascularized fibular flap with or without a skin paddle. Patients underwent resection for benign (n = 15) and malignant (n = 27) entities. Fourteen patients received preoperative radiotherapy and only 1 patient received preoperative chemotherapy. The donor site was closed primarily in 7 cases, whereas an abdominal full-thickness skin graft was used in 35 cases. RESULTS Thirty-eight patients were treated by means of an osteocutaneous flap, whereas only 4 developed an osseous flap. Five patients developed complications related to the vascular anastomosis and needed a second surgical look. One patient died in the immediate postoperative period. The skin island flap was completely viable in 37 cases (88%). Considering bone survival as the main objective, an overall flap survival rate of 92.85% was achieved in the whole series. Endosseous dental implants were placed in 11 patients with adequate outcome. In 5 of these cases the double-barrel technique was performed. CONCLUSION Our results reveal that the vascularized free fibular flap is a reliable method for reconstructing mandibular defects with an acceptable low morbidity rate. The use of the osteocutaneous flap provides good reconstruction of composite mandibular defects. It constitutes an adequate support for dental implants.

Operative versus simple arthroscopic surgery for chronic closed lock of the temporomandibular joint: a clinical study of 344 arthroscopic procedures

Arthroscopic surgery has been reported to decrease pain in relation to the TMJ, improving maximal interincisal opening (MIO). The aim of the present study was to report the clinical outcome of arthroscopic surgery for the treatment of chronic closed lock (CCL) of the TMJ. Five hundred consecutive patients (670 joints) with TMJ derangement who underwent arthroscopy between 1995 and 2004 were retrospectively analysed. All were classified as II-V according to Wilkes. Within the series, various arthroscopic procedures were performed. The inclusion criteria for CCL of the TMJ were met by 257 patients (344 joints). The mean age was 30.24 years; 237 (92%) were female and 20 (8%) male. Mean preoperative visual analogue scale score for evaluation of TMJ pain was 53.21+/-23.02. Mean MIO was 24.75+/-4.89 mm. Following arthroscopy, a significant decrease in TMJ pain was achieved (p<0.0001). For MIO, mandibular protrusion and lateral excursion movements, a significant increase in mean values was observed following surgery (p<0.0001). No statistical differences were observed between arthroscopic lysis and lavage and operative arthroscopy in relation to postoperative pain or MIO at any stage of the follow-up period. Arthroscopy should be considered as a first-line treatment for CCL of the TMJ.

Osseointegrated Implant Rehabilitation of Irradiated Oral Cancer Patients

PURPOSE The aim of this study is to analyze implant survival in patients who received radiotherapy treatment for oral malignancies and in patients who had suffered mandibular osteoradionecrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS We reviewed retrospectively 225 implants placed in 30 patients who had received radiotherapy as part of the oncologic treatment. Radiation doses ranged between 50 and 70 Gy. 39 implants were placed after a combined treatment of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Data referred to tumour type and reconstruction, presence of osteoradionecrosis, region of implant installation and type of prostheses were recorded. Survival rates were calculated with cumulative Kaplan-Meier survival curves and compared between different groups with a log-rank test. RESULTS 152 osseointegrated implants were placed in patients who presented previous reconstruction procedure. Five patients developed osteorradionecrosis as a complication of the radiotherapy treatment. Once osteoradionecrosis had healed in these patients, 41 implants were installed. The overall 5 year survival rate in irradiated patients was 92.6%. Irradiated patients had a marginally significantly higher implant loss than non-irradiated patients. (p = 0.063). The 5 year survival rate in the osteoradionecrosis group was of 48.3% and in the non-osteoradionecrosis group 92.3%, with a statistically significant difference between both groups. (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION Osseointegrated implants enhance oral rehabilitation in most irradiated patients, even being an acceptable option for patients who had suffered osteoradionecrosis. Totally implant supported prostheses are recommended after irradiation providing functional, stable and aesthetically satisfactory rehabilitation.

Contralateral lymph neck node metastasis of squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity: a retrospective analytic study in 315 patients.

PURPOSE In relation to primary squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity, many clinical and histopathologic factors have been reported to be predictive for lymph neck node relapse. However, few large studies concerning the association between clinical-histopathologic features and the development of contralateral lymph neck node relapse (CLNR) after surgical resection of primary SCC of the oral cavity are available. The purpose of this study was to analyze those factors related to the appearance of contralateral lymph neck node relapse in patients with SCC of the oral cavity primarily treated by means of surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS This study was based on a series of 315 consecutive patients with primary SCC of the oral cavity treated between June 1979 and December 1999. All patients were treated primarily by means of surgery with or without adjuvant radiotherapy. The following data were analyzed for each patient: age, gender, habits, time to diagnosis, performance status, tumor clinical features, histologic grade, TNM staging, type of neck dissection, survival outcome, and functional/esthetic results at the end of the follow-up period. Histologic study included the pTNM classification, tumor size, surgical margins, extracapsular spread of lymph neck node metastasis, perineural infiltration, peritumoral inflammation, and bone involvement. RESULTS Eighty-three patients eventually died of the disease (26.34%). A total of 177 patients were alive with no evidence of recurrence at the end of the study. The mean disease-specific survival rate was 147 +/- 6 months. Twenty-nine (9.1%) patients developed ipsilateral lymph neck node relapse (ILNR), whereas 18 (5.69%) patients developed CLNR. The mean period of time from surgery to the appearance of CLNR was 12.52 months (range, 3 to 49 months). Eighteen of 29 patients with ILNR finally died of the disease. Seven of 18 patients with CLNR died of the disease. Several clinical-pathologic features were predictive for CLNR in SCC of the oral cavity, such as the time to diagnosis, TNM staging, positive ipsilateral clinical N status, histopathologic differentiation, surgical margins of primary tumor resection, type of neck dissection, and perineural infiltration. CONCLUSION Delay in diagnosis 12 or more months is associated with increased CLNR. Clinical and pathologic factors predictive for CLNR are TNM tumor staging IV, histopathologic poor-differentiation of the primary tumor, surgical margins less than 1 cm around the primary tumor, performance of isolated ipsilateral modified type III radical neck dissection, and perineural tumor involvement. Presence of ipsilateral neck metastasis at the time of diagnosis is associated with an augmented incidence of CLNR in SCC of the oral cavity.

Prognostic Factors Influencing Contralateral Neck Lymph Node Metastases in Oral and Oropharyngeal Carcinoma

PURPOSE The prognostic influence of different clinicopathologic factors in contralateral lymph node metastases of oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) has been rarely described in the literature. Prediction of these contralateral metastases may be of relevance because this factor is strongly associated with poor prognosis. This study analyzed the relationship between predictor factors and the development of contralateral metastases in oral and oropharyngeal SCC. MATERIALS AND METHODS A series of 402 cases of oral and oropharyngeal SCC were analyzed retrospectively. Unilateral neck dissection was carried out in 190 patients, bilateral neck dissection in 101, and tumor resection without neck dissection in 111. The log-rank test was used for survival analysis of contralateral metastases. Correlation between different clinicopathologic factors and the presence of contralateral metastases was studied with the chi(2) test for univariate analysis and logistic regression for association of these factors and contralateral metastases in the multivariate analysis (P < .05). RESULTS Of the patients, 20 (5.1%) had primary positive contralateral metastases in neck dissection specimens and 19 (4.8%) had contralateral recurrences at follow-up. When the 2 groups were taken into consideration, the rate of contralateral metastases of the series was 9%. Gender, tumor location, homolateral positive nodes, tumor extension across the midline, histologic grade, margin status, pattern of growth, and perineural spread were correlated with contralateral metastases in the univariate analysis (P < .05). However, homolateral lymph node metastases and extension across the midline were the most important predictors of contralateral metastases (P < .01) on multivariate logistic regression analysis. Positive contralateral metastases showed a strong correlation with a poor prognosis for survival in this study (P < .05). CONCLUSION Oral and oropharyngeal carcinomas with homolateral positive lymph nodes and tumor extension across the midline are at higher risk of contralateral lymph node involvement. Prediction of contralateral metastases may be useful in planning more aggressive therapies in patients with head and neck SCC with poor prognostic criteria.

Arthroscopic Lysis and Lavage Versus Operative Arthroscopy in the Outcome of Temporomandibular Joint Internal Derangement: A Comparative Study Based on Wilkes Stages

PURPOSE To assess whether arthroscopic lysis and lavage (ALL) or operative arthroscopy (OA) is more effective for the treatment of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) internal derangement at any stage of involvement. PATIENTS AND METHODS In 458 patients (611 joints) with internal derangement of the TMJ classified as Wilkes stages II through V, arthroscopy was performed. Pain (visual analog scale score, 0-100) and maximal interincisal opening were assessed at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 24 months after surgery. RESULTS ALL was performed in 308 of 611 arthroscopies (50.4%), and OA was performed in 303 arthroscopies (49.59%). A significant decrease in pain (P < .001) was observed for all patients at any time during the follow-up period from the first month postoperatively to the end of the 2-year follow-up period. A highly significant increase in mouth opening greater than 13 mm was observed in the group of patients classified as Wilkes stage IV from the first month postoperatively. When we compared ALL versus OA among Wilkes stages, no significant differences in terms of pain were observed during the entire follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS Both ALL and OA are equally effective at decreasing pain in patients with TMJ internal derangement of any Wilkes stage. Patients classified as Wilkes stage IV presenting with chronic closed lock of the TMJ had the highest decrease in pain and the highest increase in mouth opening among the stages, thus confirming these patients as the best candidates for arthroscopy.

Vascularized Fibular Flap for Reconstruction of the Condyle After Mandibular Ablation

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcome of the vascularized fibular free flap for the reconstruction of mandibular resections involving the condylar segment. PATIENTS AND METHODS Six patients underwent mandibular resection including the condyle. Two patients were diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, whereas the other 4 presented fibrous dysplasia, mandibular osteoradionecrosis, mandibular ameloblastoma, and giant cell granuloma of the mandible. All of them underwent condylar reconstruction by means of transplant of the free fibular flap. In all the cases, the fibula was placed directly into the glenoid fossa. The temporomandibular disc was preserved over the pole of the fibula. Panoramic radiographs were performed postoperatively to evaluate condylar position and grade of bone resorption. RESULTS Five patients developed adequate temporofibular function with absence of hypomobility and optimum interincisal opening, whereas 1 patient developed a temporofibular ankylosis with severe limitation of mandibular mobility and mouth opening. CONCLUSIONS The use of the fibula flap directly fitted into the glenoid fossa constitutes a reliable method in condylar reconstruction. However, the possibility of severe complications such as ankylosis has to be considered.

Transoral endoscopic-assisted management of subcondylar fractures in 17 patients: An alternative to open reduction with rigid internal fixation and closed reduction with maxillomandibular fixation

The authors evaluate the results of transoral endoscopic-assisted open reduction and miniplate fixation of subcondylar fractures. Seventeen patients were treated from August 2005 to April 2007. Inclusion criteria were: adult patients, inability to achieve adequate occlusion with closed reduction, dislocation of the condylar fragment between 10 and 45 degrees , and 2-mm inter-fragment overlapping. Regular panoramic radiographs were taken postoperatively. Transbuccal incisions were used to place the screws for fixation in 15 patients. Pure intraoral access and angulated drills and screwdrivers were used in 2 patients. The condyle was placed into the condylar fossa in all cases. No damage to the facial nerve was observed. No visible scars were present. Mean surgical time was 80.36 minutes. Transitory hyposthesia was observed in 3 cases. Adequate reduction and consolidation of the fracture was achieved in 16 patients. No condylar reabsortion was present at the end of the follow-up period. The authors consider that transoral endoscopic-assisted open reduction constitutes a valid alternative to a transcutaneous approach for the reduction and fixation of subcondylar fractures in selected cases. It provides the benefits of open reduction and internal fixation without the potential complications. Advice is given on how to achieve adequate reduction and stability of the proximal fragment.