Complications of mandibulotomy: midline versus paramidline.
OBJECTIVE
Mandibulotomy is an important surgical approach to oral cavity and oropharynx. The objective of this study was to evaluate the related complications of 2 common mandibulotomies: midline (osteotomy between 2 central incisors) and paramidline (osteotomy between lateral incisor and canine).


METHODS
Ninety-six patients who had cancer in the oral cavity or oropharynx had preoperative evaluation of the mandible with panoramic films. Among them, 42 patients underwent mandibulotomies: midline for 19 patients and paramidline for 23.


RESULTS
Twenty (47.6%) of 42 patients had mandibulotomy-related complications, including 9 (21.4%) minor complications and 11 (26.2%) major complications. There were 6 (31.6%) major and 4 (21.1%) minor complications in the midline mandibulotomy and both 5 (21.7%) major and minor complications in the paramidline mandibulotomy.


CONCLUSIONS
There was no significant difference in the mandibulotomy-related complication rate between midline and paramidline mandibulotomies. Paramidline mandibulotomy, which preserves the geniohyoid and genioglossus muscles, should be a better function-preserving operation than midline mandibulotomy.
Dai
Tsung-Sung
TS
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Oncology (II), Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Hao
Sheng-Po
SP
Chang
Kai-Ping
KP
Pan
Whei-Lin
WL
Yeh
Hwey-Chin
HC
Tsang
Ngan-Ming
NM
D000328:Adult; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D016896:Treatment Outcome