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Postoperative prognostic stratification using the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) TNM 8th edition staging rules (UICC 8) may identify additional groups of patients who could benefit from adjuvant radiotherapy. Currently, selection for such treatment is not based on all known prognostic factors, and their relative importance may vary depending on the overall risk category. The objective of this study therefore was to evaluate these possibilities. We retrospectively studied 644 patients who had surgery with curative intent for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) between March 2006 and February 2017. The outcomes of interest were disease-specific survival (DSS) and locoregional recurrence (LRR). Patients were re-staged according to the UICC 8 staging rules. Putative clinical and pathological prognostic variables were evaluated and hazard ratios estimated. Regression analysis was done to identify independent prognostic factors, and iterative analyses identified clinically-relevant risk categories with a minimum of residual prognostic variables. The significance of recognised pathological prognostic factors differed according to the overall risk category. An intermediate risk group comprising patients with pN1 disease as well those with pT3 disease solely on the basis of a depth of invasion (DOI) of more than 10 mm, was identified. A trial to evaluate the benefit or otherwise of adjuvant radiotherapy in this group is now required. Individual prognostic risk factors should be considered within the context of the overall risk category in patients with OSCC.

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The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the feasibility of measuring the change in magnitude, speed, and motion similarity of facial animations in head and neck oncology patients, before and after lip split mandibulotomy. Seven subjects (four males, three females) aged 42-80 years were recruited. The subjects were asked to perform four facial animations (maximal smile, lip purse, cheek puff, and grimace) from rest to maximal position. The animations were captured using a Di4D motion capture system, which recorded 60 frames/s. Nine facial soft tissue landmarks were manually digitized on the first frame of the three-dimensional image of each animation by the same operator and were tracked automatically for the sequential frames. The intra-operator digitization error was within 0.4mm. Lip purse and maximal smile animations showed the least amount of change in magnitude (0.2mm) following surgery; speed difference was least for smile animation (-0.1mm/s). Motion similarity was found to be highest for lip purse animation (0.78). This pilot study confirmed that surgery did influence the dynamics of facial animations, and the Di4D capture system can be regarded as a feasible objective tool for assessing the impact of surgical interventions on facial soft tissue movements.

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Patients with head and neck cancer who have resection, radiotherapy, chemoradiotherapy, or a combination of these require nutritional support to be implemented before treatment, and this may involve insertion of a prophylactic gastrostomy feeding tube. The aim of this study was to compare the use and complication rates of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) and radiologically inserted gastrostomy (RIG) in these patients at a tertiary referral centre. We retrospectively reviewed gastrostomy data forms completed by nutritional support nursing staff over a recent 34-month period, which included information on method of insertion, 30-day postoperative serious and minor complications, and mortality. A total of 110 patients had prophylactic insertion of a gastrostomy (21 PEG, 89 RIG) over the study period. In the first 12 months 13 (31%) PEG feeding tubes were placed but in the last 12 months none were inserted using an endoscopic approach. Serious complications occurred with 2 (10%) PEG and 12 (13%) RIG; the most common cause was accidental removal of the tube (n=13, 12%). Minor complications of peristomal infection, leakage, or blockage of the tube occurred in 6 (5%) gastrostomies. No patients died during the study period. In recent years, and in the absence of recommended guidelines, there has been an increase in the elective insertion of RIG in patients with head and neck cancer. Serious complications for both methods of insertion in this study are comparable with similar reports. However, with RIG there is a high rate of tubes becoming dislodged with the potential for serious consequences. The most appropriate method to insert a gastrostomy tube in patients with head and neck cancer remains unclear.

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We report a modification of the operation of mandibular release or 'visor drop down'. It allows more accurate repositioning and more permanent fixation of the genioglossus, geniohyoid, and digastric muscles using a small anterior osteotomy. We hope that this more accurate and reliable repositioning will give improved outcomes in terms of speech, chewing, and swallowing.

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INTRODUCTION: The success of salvage techniques for free tissue transfer is well documented. The aim of this study was to identify factors that influenced the results of salvage operations in a group of patients who required early exploration. METHODS: From a database survey of 408 patients who had a total of 427 free tissue transfer reconstructions, 65 (16%) returned to the operating theatre within 7 days. A retrospective analysis of their progress was made from the case records. RESULTS: The flap chart was found to be highly accurate for the 65 patients who had returned to the operating theatre, reporting two false positives and one false negative. Forty patients had compromised flaps and 25 had haematomas that required evacuation. The commonest problem with flaps was venous congestion (33/40, 83%), and 29 flaps were successfully salvaged (73%). Most successful salvage attempts were made within 24 hours of the end of the initial operation. The salvage rate was higher for the radial fasciocutaneous flaps (25/30, 83%), than for composite flaps (2/7, 29%). A total of 24/427 flaps failed (6%). CONCLUSIONS: We now recommend hourly observations of the flap for 24 hours followed by 4-hourly monitoring for 48 hours. Improved monitoring techniques for composite grafts may result in more being salvaged and a better overall survival.

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Good access to the site of oral cancer is essential to allow for adequate three-dimensional resection of the tumour. Splitting the lower lip in conjunction with a mandibulotomy offers excellent access to all areas of the mouth and pharynx, but this inevitably produces a facial scar and there is morbidity associated with the healing of the mandibulotomy. An alternative approach is the mandibular lingual releasing technique, which provides good access to the oral cavity and avoids the morbidity associated with lip-split mandibulotomy. The aim of this study was to compare aesthetic, functional and patient subjective outcomes between the two access procedures. One hundred and fifty patients had oral access procedures between 1992-95 (ninety lip-split mandibulotomy and sixty mandibular lingual release). Thirty patients fulfilled selection criteria (primary surgery as treatment, tumour size < 5.1 cm, anterior oral cavity tumours, and reconstructed with a radial forearm free flap) and 10 patients from each group were able to attend a review appointment for objective clinical assessment of their speech, tongue mobility, lip competence and temperomandibular signs. Using items from the University of Washington quality of life questionnaire patient subjective outcomes were assessed. Using standardised photographs the clinician and lay persons assessed the overall post-operative facial appearance. The patients also assessed their own facial appearance using a similar scoring method. Resection margins were similar in both groups and it would seem that both methods provide adequate access to the anterior oral cavity. Clinical examination showed no differences in function between the two access procedures. Although there was a small number, the lip-split mandibulotomy group reported significantly better speech, swallowing and chewing. Previous concerns about a possible detrimental effect on appearance following lip-split, were not borne out in this study.

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This study evaluated the postoperative free-flap monitoring frequency protocol used in a maxillofacial unit for patients receiving free-tissue transfer for reconstruction following orofacial cancer. All free-tissue transfers undertaken in the unit between January 1992 and October 1998 were reviewed retrospectively. Of the 370 patients evaluated, 46 returned to theatre with compromised free flaps. The compromise was purely venous in origin in 37 of these cases, arterial in three and due to a combination of arterial and venous problems in six. Thirty-five of the flaps were successfully salvaged. On average, the clinical manifestation of the problem occurred 25.5 hours postoperatively. However, there was a significant time difference between flaps that were salvaged successfully and those that were not: in the salvaged group the compromise was identified 17.5 hours postsurgery compared with 51 hours for the unsuccessful group. The timing of the return to theatre following the identification of the compromise was a significant factor in the success rate: 71 minutes for those salvaged and 103 minutes for those not salvaged. It is recommended that flaps are monitored hourly for the first 72 postoperative hours and observations recorded on a chart.

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The radial forearm free flap has become the mainstay in the reconstruction of soft tissue defects following ablative resection in the oral cavity. The method of repair of the associated forearm tissue defect has been the subject of considerable debate. The options range from direct closure, to local soft tissue flaps or skin graft repair. Larger defects usually require a skin graft and we have routinely used partial thickness skin. An audit of our complication rate led to the consideration of whether a full thickness repair would reduce the morbidity. We randomly allocated successive patients to receive full or partial thickness skin graft repair of the radial donor site in a consecutive series of 68 patients over an 18-month period. Sixty-four patients completed the initial assessment period of wound healing. Thirty seven patients completed a questionnaire at one year to subjectively assess the aesthetic appearance of the forearm wound and the skin graft donor site. They were also assessed for pain at both sites. The partial thickness donor site required significantly more re-dressings. There was no significant difference between the two groups in graft take or number of re-dressings at the recipient site. There was no significant difference in patient assessment of aesthetic appearance or pain in either the forearm recipient site or the skin graft donor site. Provided that an adequate graft is taken, full thickness and partial thickness skin grafts have the same short-term and long-term outcomes in the repair of the radial free flap donor site.

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Sublingual dermoid cysts are rare lesions. Typically they present as slow-growing masses that may cause elevation of the tongue, interference with speech or the appearance of a double chin. We report the first case of malignant transformation to squamous cell carcinoma of a long-standing sublingual dermoid cyst.

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Harmartomas of the head and neck are common lesions, often taking the form of melanocytic nevi or vascular malformations such as hemangiomas and lymphangiomas. Hamartomas composed of other tissue types are much rarer and within the oral cavity are usually located on the tongue near the foramen cecum or on the anterior hard palate near the incisive papilla. Although most occur as isolated phenomena, a small number may be associated with other local developmental defects or with a syndrome complex. A normal 5-year-old girl had a 1 cm soft sessile swelling in the vault of the hard palate on the left side. Histopathologic examination showed bundles of smooth muscle embedded in fibrovascular stroma and accompanied by abundant mature fat and a small amount of salivary tissue. The features were regarded as those of a leiomyomatous hamartoma and could be distinguished from a smooth-muscle tumor, teratoma, and benign mesenchymoma by virtue of the clinical and histopathologic features. No recurrence has been seen after excision.

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