2012 Volume 35 Issue 2 Pages 83-91
The masticator space is occasionally included as part of the excised tissue in maxillectomy in cases when a maxillary tumor extends posteriorly. However, excision of this area without any tissue covering causes postoperative trismus and a fallen cheek in most cases. In this study, the subject group included maxillectomy patients in whom the masticator space was covered by a free vascularized flap and the control group included those who did not receive any flap. Both the groups were provided with dento-maxillary prostheses to close the defect between the oral and nasal cavities. For both groups, measurements of the range of mouth opening, a questionnaire survey regarding masticatory situation, a gum-chewing test, and a blowing test were performed. The results showed that the subject group （2 patients） had better outcomes than the control group. Therefore, our results suggest that combining a free vascularized flap with a dento-maxillary prosthesis is useful in patients undergoing maxillectomy involving excision of the masticator space.
