Adequate exposure of malignant neoplasms occupying the oral cavity and oropharynx for surgical resection is very important for precise tumor ablation. The use of mandibulotomy, one of many approaches for surgical resection of intraoral tumors, has increased recently. This approach has also been beneficial in providing exposure to the anterior skull base, clivus, and nasopharynx, and in reconstructing the surgical defect. Immobility of the mandible is achieved by use of rigid internal fixation, which potentially decreases the postoperative complications. We experienced 7 patients treated for malignant neoplasms of the oral cavity and oropharynx requiring mandibulotomy. The complications of mandibulotomy were minimal. One case had minimal malocclusion and another one had orocutaneous fistula, both of which were treated without problem. This review suggests the advantages of absolute rigid internal fixation of mandibulotomy used for tumor ablation, and might help identify surgical techniques that decrease the complications.
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