Neurotologic skull base access for primary tumors of the temporomandibular joint.
OBJECTIVE
To familiarize the physician with the clinical and radiographic features associated with primary tumors of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and to demonstrate the use of the neurotologic skull base techniques in the surgical extirpation of TMJ tumors.


METHODS
This was a retrospective chart review spanning the years 1988 to 2012.


METHODS
Tertiary care academic medical center.


METHODS
Any patient with diagnosis of a primary TMJ tumor who received surgical management at our institution.


METHODS
The surgical approaches used included preauricular infratemporal fossa, postauricular infratemporal fossa, and pterional infratemporal fossa.


METHODS
The most critical assessment measures were postoperative patient morbidity and evidence of disease at follow-up visits.


RESULTS
The surgical approach was tailored according to the radiographic mapping of the size and location of the tumor. Trismus and jaw discomfort were the most common postoperative complications. Conductive hearing loss occurred only in patients who underwent oversewing of the cartilaginous ear canal.


CONCLUSIONS
The presenting signs and symptoms of extremely rare primary TMJ tumors are those often seen by otolaryngologists. Contemporary neurotologic skull base surgical techniques can optimize the successful extirpation of these lesions.
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois, U.S.A.
Seth
S
Kay
John P
JP
Leonetti
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007573:Jaw Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019291:Skull Base / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013704:Temporomandibular Joint / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome