2000 Volume 46 Issue 12 Pages 781-783
Ameloblastomas sometimes have malignant features clinically, but not pathologically. This report describes lateral skull-base surgery for a case of ameloblastoma. A 66-year-old woman presented with swelling of the maxillary tubercle. She had undergone two operations for a diagnosis of ameloblastoma. CT examination revealed that the tumor mass occupied the infratemporal fossa andinvaded the bone of the skull base. Lateral skull-base surgery was carried out. The skin incision lines included a hairline incision and a sigmoid incision for the parotid gland tumor. After preservation of the facial nerve, lateral craniotomy was performed. The medial surgical margins of the skull base were delineatedbetween the foramen rotundum and ovale. The surgical defect was reconstructed with a rectus abdominis myocutaneous free flap. The diagnosis of the surgical specimen was ameloblastoma, consisting mainly of granular cells. After complete resection of the tumor, there has been no recurrence for 10 months.
