Temporal bone osteoradionecrosis after surgery and radiotherapy for malignant parotid tumors.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the incidence of osteoradionecrosis (ORN) of the temporal bone after surgery with radiotherapy for malignant parotid tumors.


METHODS
A tertiary care, academic medical center.


METHODS
All patients who underwent surgical resection with postoperative radiotherapy (RT) for a malignant parotid tumor between July 1988 and July 2007.


METHODS
A retrospective chart analysis to determine the extent of surgery, the RT parameters, and the incidence of ORN of the temporal bone.


METHODS
The incidence of ORN in 3 subgroups of patients.


RESULTS
The 221 patients with malignant parotid tumors who underwent surgical resection with postoperative RT were divided into groups 1, parotidectomy only; 2, parotidectomy with mastoidectomy; and 3, parotidectomy with subtotal petrosectomy. The overall incidence of temporal bone ORN in group 1 was 2 (2%) of 106; in group 2, 8 (13%) of 64; and in group 3, 0 (0%) of 51.


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of temporal bone ORN is higher after mastoidectomy for facial nerve identification or resection in patients undergoing parotidectomy with postoperative radiotherapy. Oversew of the ear canal with mastoid obliteration should be considered in this subgroup of patients to avoid this long-term complication of radiotherapy used in the treatment of malignant parotid tumors.
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois, U.S.A. jleonet@lumc.edu
John P
JP
Leonetti
Sam J
SJ
Marzo
Chad A
CA
Zender
Ryan G
RG
Porter
Edward
E
Melian
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018277:Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008297:Male; D010025:Osteoradionecrosis / Q000209:etiology*; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000601:surgery; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000528:radiation effects*; D055815:Young Adult