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Tumor surgery of the temporal bone
Author(s) -
Arena Sebastian
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1288/00005537-197404000-00016
Subject(s) - medicine , infratemporal fossa , jugular foramen , temporal bone , otorhinolaryngology , surgery , neurosurgery , glomus tumor , facial nerve , radiology , skull
Adequate tumor surgery of the temporal bone continues to be difficult and hazardous. This is because of its relationship to vital vascular and neural structures. A classification of tumors of the temporal bone and a system of surgery for these tumors is presented, based on 30 malignancies of the external canal and middle ear, and on four tumors involving the jugular foramen, infratemporal fossa, and posterior fossa. Tumors involving only the external canal require that the excision involves the parotid as well as the external canal. It is not always possible to preserve the facial nerve. Tumors which extend to the middle ear are more complex and require en bloc temporal bone resection. Tumors which involve the petromastoid and tympano‐tubal areas are also in this more complex group. The complications of en bloc resection are severe but can be successfully resolved in most instances. All patients who had recurrence of disease demonstrated evidence of recurrence within six months. Ominous signs are positive neck nodes or infiltration of tumor into the surrounding soft tissues (parotid). Large tumors of the jugular foramen, infratemporal fossa and posterior fossa have been considered inoperable in the past. Techniques have been developed in temporal bone resection that have made many of these tumors surgically accessible. This involves the incorporation of microsurgical and neurosurgical techniques. Large glomus tumors and meningiomas can be resected through the cooperative efforts of the otolaryngologist and neurosurgeon.