• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.151-156
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• 2006

Purpose : The aim of this study was to determine the accuracy of clinical and radiologic assessments in detecting positive cervical lymph nodes in oral cancer. Materials and Methods : We had reviewed the preoperative clinical, radiologic and postoperative histopathologic reports of 46 patients who had been diagnosed as oral cancer and underwent surgical excision combined with neck dissection (52 sides of neck) in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Dentistry, Yonsei University from the July 1, 1992 to the April 30, 1999. Results : The results were as follows 1. The male to female ratio was 4.38 : 1 and the mean age was 57. 2. Sensitivity values for the preoperative assessment of cervical lymph node metastasis in oral cancer were 62.5 % in clinical examination and 50.0 % in radiologic assessments. Specificity values were 77.8 % in clinical examination and 94.4 % in radiologic assessments. 3. False positive values were 44.4 % in clinical examination and 20.0 % in radiologic assessments. False negative values were 17.6 % in clinical and 19.0% in radiologic assessments. 4. Overall efficiency values were 73.1 % in clinical examination and 80.8 % in radiologic assessments. Summary : There were some limits on the accuracy of clinical and radiologic assessments in the preoperative detection of the cervical lymph nodes in oral cancer. To improve the accuracy, it is important to communicate between clinician and radiologist, and adjunctive diagnostic measures, ultrasound and fine needle aspiration cytology, were helpful increasing the overall efficiency. In the high risk sites (oral tongue and floor of the mouth) the false negative value is higher and the overall efficiency in radiologic evaluation is lower than those of the low risk sites (gingiva and alveolar ridge, retromolar trigone and buccal mucosa ). The elective neck dissection should be considered in the high risk sites.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.129-132
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• 2013

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma is the second-most common skin cancer and represents 20% of all skin cancers. Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma often spreads to the parotid gland through lymph nodes, but, direct invasion of an adjacent organ may also occur. We present the case of 78-year-old man with ulcerated mass on the right infra-auricular area. The histopathologic finding was squamous cell carcinoma. There was no evidence of distant metastasis, but the mass was found to invade the superficial lobe of the right parotid gland. The mass was widely excised and superficial parotidectomy was performed while preserving the facial nerve. The defect was covered by primary closure. Postoperative radiotherapy was performed. At 20 months after surgery, our patient had no facial palsy, local recurrence, or metastasis. Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma involving the parotid gland is an aggressive, rapidly advancing lesion, which if not recognized and treated early will result in high morbidity and mortality. Squamous cell carcinoma of the parotid gland has shown that patients who receive adjuvant radiotherapy have a lower recurrence rate and a higher survival rate than patients treated with surgery alone. The role of elective neck dissection remains controversial.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.46-55
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• 1996

The purpose of this study is to investigate if there is a higher rate of free flap failure in cases of vein grafts compared to non-vein graft, and to analyze the clinical usefulness and necessity in elective free flap surgery. We have used 24 vein grafts in 208 free flaps from May, 1986 until August, 1995. Vein grafts were from 2cm to 50cm in length between the recipient and donor vessels. Reconstructed sites were 10 lower extremities, 8 head and neck, 4 hand, and 2 trunk. Vein grafts were used 14 for arterial, 6 venous, 4 in both arterial and venous anastomoses. We intentionally used long vein grafts longer than 5cm for improved blood flow in cases of peripheral vascular disease, radionecrotic wounds, lower leg trauma. Short vein grafts of about 3cm in length were used to overcome the shortage of vascular length in cases of unexpected vessel anomaly, short donor vessel, and difficult access to recipient vessels after radical neck dissection. All veins were carefully handled with ligation of very small branches and were transferred to the recipient site without irrigation. 8 flaps were failed out of a total of 208 free flaps, however there was no failure among the 24 cases that needed vein grafts between the donor and recipient vessels. Success rates between non-vein grafts free flaps and vein graft free flaps were 95.6%(8/184) and 100%(0/24). Even though the vein grafts increase the operation time and the number of anastomoses, they do not result in any increased failure rate of free flap surgery(4.4% versus 0%). In addition to the reducing tension between recipient and donor vessels, the surgeon can select better recipient vessels with excellent blood flow so that vein grfats in microsurgery can provide a high success rate of free flaps.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.307-313
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• 1994

Purpose : Maxillary sinus cancers usually are locally advanced and involve the structures around sinus. It is uncommon for this cancer to spread to the regional lymph-nodes. For this reason, local control is of paramount important for cure. A policy of combined treatment is generally accepted as the most effective means of enhancing cure rartes. This paper reports our experience of a retrospective study of 31 Patients treated with radiation therapy alone and combination therapy of surgery and radiation. Materials and Methods: Between July 1974 and January 1992, 47 Patients with maxillary sinus cancers underwent either radiation therpay alone or combination therapy of surgery and radiation. Of these, only 31 patients were eligible for analysis. The distribution of clinical stage by the AJCC system was $26\%$(8/31) for T2 and $74\%$(23/31) for T3 and T4. Eight patients had palpable lymphadenopathy at diagnosis. Primary site was treated by Cobalt-60 radiation therapy using through a $45^{\circ}$ wedge-pair technique. Elective neck irradiation was not routinely given. Of these 8 patients, the six who had clinically involved nodes were treated with definite radiation therapy. The other two patients had received radical neck dissection. The twenty-two patients were treated with radiation alone and 9 patients were treated with combination radiation therapy, The RT alone patients with RT dose less than 60 Gy were 9 and those above 60 Gy were 13. Results : The overall 5 year survival rate was $23.8\%$. The 5 year survival rate by T-stage was $60.5\%$ and $7.9\%$ for T2 and T3,4, respectively. Statistical significance was found by T-stage(p<0.005). The 5 year survival rate by N-stage was $30\%$ for N (-) and $8.3\%$ for N(+), but statistically no significant difference was seen(p${\geq}$0.1). The 5 year survival rate for RT alone and combination RT was $22.5\%$ and $27.4\%$, respectively. The primary local control rate was $65\%$ (20/31). Conclusion : This study did not show significant difference in survival between RT alone and combination RT. There is still much controversy with regard to which treatment is optimum. Improved RT technique and development of multimodality treatment are essential to improve the local control and the survival rate in patients with advanced maxillary sinus cancer.