title: Aggressive maxillofacial disassembly in skull base surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review our favorable experience with maxillofacial disassembly for exposure and resection of tumors of the skull base.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective review of 31 patients from 1997 to 2005 treated by maxillofacial disassembly and includes 22 patients with midface disassembly and 9 patients with mandible with or without midface disassembly.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Follow-up ranges from 2 weeks to 7 years: 23 (74.2%) of 31 patients are alive and disease free; 3 patients are alive with disease; 3 patients have died of distant metastasis. There were 14 complications in 12 (38.7%) patients; 13 of 14 complications were minor. One major complication (cardiovascular accident) resulted in the single postoperative mortality in this series.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our technique of maxillofacial disassembly allows for tailored exposure of all regions of the anterolateral skull base with acceptable perioperative morbidity in appropriately selected patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  C-4.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zuzukin
authors.forename: Yadranko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ducic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000601:surgery*; D018304:Esthesioneuroblastoma, Olfactory / Q000601:surgery*; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000601:surgery*; D008579:Meningioma / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010027:Osteotomy; D019340:Osteotomy, Le Fort; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019291:Skull Base / Q000601:surgery*; D019292:Skull Base Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*