Current aspects of endolaryngeal and endotracheal microsurgery in children

Achievements of today's laryngeal and tracheal surgery came for the most part from novel optic techniques and anesthesia. All the operations were performed with application of the microscope or endoscopic devices. Gas exchange was provided differently: using volume, injection and high frequency artificial ventilation of the lungs. An individual approach to gas exchange technique in respiratory obstruction allowed to avoid emergency tracheotomy. A laryngeal mask was used in children for air delivery in fibrotracheobronchoscopy. Removal of tumors, dissection of laryngeal scars, trachea and bronchi were made by means of ultrasound and laser equipment. Interventions are considered for each condition.     

Orbitastabilisierung mit Suprabrow-Periosttranspositionslappen

BACKGROUND: Common reasons for orbital defects are midfacial traumas or defects following tumor resection within the sinu-orbital region. In these cases, reconstruction of the medial or inferior orbital wall often is required. Common materials for orbital reconstruction, such as titanium-mesh, are used where epithelialisation problems are frequently encountered. METHODS: Three patients with extended resection of malignomas of the medial and inferior orbit wall were reconstructed with a myofascial transposition flap from the suprabrow region. RESULTS: Orbital tumor infiltration was present in 11 of the 54 patients treated from 1997 to 2003 for tumors of the nasal region. In three cases, tumor extension to the medial and caudal orbital wall required extensive tissue resection, including the periorbit. In these cases, we created a new horizontal fascial flap from the suprabrow-region which stabilized the bulbus by fixation to the lateral maxilla. Follow-up 12 months after surgery showed good epithelialisation of the reconstructed region without functional deficits. CONCLUSION: This previously undescribed fascial suprabrow-flap constitutes a valuable method in the reconstruction of large combined defects of the medial and caudal orbit wall profiting particularly from the autologous material used.     

Transoral laser surgery for pharyngeal and pharyngolaryngeal carcinomas

OBJECTIVE: To assess early oncological and functional outcomes after transoral laser surgery in patients with pharyngeal or pharyngolaryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. DESIGN: Inception cohort, with a median follow-up of 24 months. SETTING: Tertiary university center. PATIENTS: Fifty-five consecutive patients with pharyngeal or pharyngolaryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (T1, 24 patients; T2, 28 patients; and T3, 3 patients) were included. Patients had to be eligible for open functional surgery, and exposure in suspension micropharyngoscopy had to be possible. INTERVENTIONS: The pharynx and larynx were exposed with a bivalved laryngopharyngoscope, and the resection of the tumor was performed with a carbon dioxide laser coupled to a microscope. Neck dissection was performed in 43 patients. It was not attempted in the other 12 patients for the following reasons: N0 neck and severe comorbidities (n = 6), microinvasive cancer (n = 3), patient's refusal (n = 1), inoperable N3 disease (n = 1), and rapid local recurrence (n = 1). Eighteen patients (33%) received adjuvant radiotherapy: 12 for neck disease and 6 for positive resection margins. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Local control and overall survival at the median follow-up visit. Evaluation of complications, pain, and rehabilitation of swallowing capacity. RESULTS: At a median follow-up of 24 months, the local control rate was 90%, and the overall survival rate was 78%. There were 16 early postoperative complications: recurrent aspiration pneumonia (n = 7); laryngeal obstruction, which required tracheotomy (n = 3); severe postoperative hemorrhage (n = 2); and cervical emphysema, which resolved spontaneously (n = 4). Feeding tubes were necessary in 37 patients. They were removed after a median period of 7 days. The median pain score was 4 of 10 during the first postoperative week and 0 of 10 after 4 weeks. The median hospital stay was 13 days (15 days for patients with neck dissection). CONCLUSIONS: Transoral laser surgery for pharyngeal and pharyngolaryngeal squamous cell carcinoma is a safe and acceptable therapeutic modality in selected cases. Good local control and avoidance of tracheotomy can be expected in most cases. Oral food intake is immediate, but feeding tubes are required to avoid weight loss during the postoperative period. Frequent early problems include transient postoperative bronchoinhalations and pain.     

Cosmetic considerations in surgery for orbital subperiosteal abscess in children: experience with a combined transcaruncular and transnasal endoscopic approach

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the outcomes of a new surgical approach in children with acute sinusitis and medial orbital subperiosteal abscess. DESIGN: Case series. SETTING: Tertiary pediatric hospital. PATIENTS: Eleven children aged 6 weeks to 13 years with orbital subperiosteal abscess and acute sinusitis who met indication for surgery by visual compromise and/or refractory course to medical therapy. INTERVENTION: The medial orbital abscess was drained via a transcaruncular approach, which provided access to the medial orbital wall. An endoscopic ethmoidectomy was also performed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Judgment of cosmetic appearance by surgeon and family, resolution of symptoms, length of hospital stay, and complications. RESULTS: All children had prompt resolution of symptoms after surgical drainage. Cosmetic outcome was excellent in all patients with no cutaneous scar or eyelid malposition. After edema and cellulitis had resolved, no family member could tell a difference in appearance between the eyes. No complications of these combined procedures were identified. One patient who had initially undergone transnasal endoscopic orbital drainage alone experienced a recurrence of infection 17 days later. He was then treated by the combined transcaruncular and endoscopic approach with prompt resolution of his symptoms. One of 4 patients treated initially with transcaruncular approach alone without endoscopic ethmoidectomy had recurrence of acute sinusitis and orbital abscess 16 months later and was successfully treated with an endoscopic approach. CONCLUSIONS: The combined endoscopic and transcaruncular surgical approach to medial orbital subperiosteal abscess and acute sinusitis provides a cosmetically superior outcome compared with standard orbital approaches requiring a cutaneous incision. The transcaruncular approach can be considered as an alternative or adjunct approach to the medial orbit, with the same cosmetic advantages as transnasal endoscopic drainage.     

The importance of early surgery in preventing the esthetic sequelae of cervicofacial mucocutaneous hemangiomas in children

Infants with cutaneous hemangiomas are classically managed medically, well-defined surgery being planned for esthetic correction at the age of 8 to 10 years. We present a series of 65 cases of early surgery in children with head and neck cutaneous or mucosal hemangiomas where irreversible and unesthetic scars were predictable. The surgical procedure was simple and the cosmetic result was better than could be expected after late surgery, limiting psychological consequences. In our opinion, the abstention rule should be changed. A multidisciplinary check-up at 2 years to identify cases with a predictably unesthetic scar after complete resolution of the angioma would help select cases where early surgical correction, taking advantage of the exceptional quality of skin in these young children, would be most beneficial.     

Surgical removal of subglottic hemangiomas in children.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the indications and the results of surgical excision of severe subglottic hemangiomas. DESIGN: Retrospective study and case series. SETTING: Four academic tertiary care centers of pediatric otolaryngology. PATIENTS: Twenty children were included from 1991 to 1997. All presented with severe subglottic hemangiomas resistant to classical treatments such as corticosteroids and/or CO2 laser. INTERVENTION: Six children were operated on using laryngotracheal reconstruction and prolonged stenting by a reinforced Silastic roll and 14 children were operated on by a single-stage laryngotracheoplasty and postoperative intubation in a pediatric intensive care unit. RESULTS: All patients were successfully decannulated or extubated and have been free from recurrent hemangiomas. CONCLUSION: The surgery of severe subglottic hemangiomas is a reliable technique in selected patients and should be considered in corticoresistant or corticodependent, circular, or bilateral hemangiomas.     

Patency and flow of the internal jugular vein after functional neck dissection

OBJECTIVES: To assess the patency and flow of the internal jugular vein after functional neck dissection. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study of 54 internal jugular veins in 29 oncologic patients undergoing functional neck dissection between September 1994 and February 1997. METHODS: Patency, presence of thrombosis, characteristics of the vein wall, compressibility, area of the vein both in rest and during Valsalva maneuver, expiratory flow speed, Valsalva flow speed, jugular flow in each side, and total jugular flow were assessed in all veins before and after dissection. All patients were evaluated before and after the procedure by means of duplex Doppler ultrasonography. RESULTS: In no case was there thrombosis before or after the operation. Although total jugular flow decreases during the early postoperative period, it recovers to normal parameters within 3 months after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: According to these results, the patency of the internal jugular vein remains unaltered after functional neck dissection. Ultrasonographically there is no thrombosis after this procedure.     

Results of orbital preservation for advanced malignant maxillary sinus tumors

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to examine the oncological and functional outcomes of multimodality therapy for patients with advanced malignant maxillary sinus tumors that invaded the orbit. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. METHODS: The medical records of 26 patients with orbital invasion were retrospectively analyzed. The patient group consisted of 16 men and 10 women, with a median age of 58 years. The mean follow-up period was 73 months. The most common disease was squamous cell carcinoma. Seven patients had nodal disease. All patients underwent simultaneous combined therapy consisting of conservative surgery through a sublabial incision, radiotherapy, and regional chemotherapy. Patients with nodal disease were treated with either irradiation or selective neck dissection. RESULTS: The 5- and 10-year overall survival rates were 68% and 51%, respectively. The 5- and 10-year local control rates were 66% and 51%, respectively. Overall survival rates and local control rates were significantly worse in patients with disease other than squamous cell carcinoma. Local control rates were significantly worse in patients with orbital apex disease than in patients without orbital apex disease. All 26 patients, despite orbital involvement, retained their orbital contents. Nineteen of these patients demonstrated adequate ocular function. CONCLUSIONS: Combined therapy with conservative surgery, radiotherapy, and regional chemotherapy is an effective method for local control and preservation of ocular function. However, performing orbital conservation procedure in patients with disease other than squamous cell carcinoma and with orbital apex disease must be considered carefully.     

Restoration of the orbital aesthetic subunit in complex midface defects

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Although various options exist for restoration of the orbital defect in complex craniofacial resections, the aesthetic appearance and functional result of the orbit are optimized when the bony orbital architecture, orbital volume, and facial contour are specifically addressed. The study describes an approach using free tissue transfer for restoration of the native orbital aesthetic subunit. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case series. METHODS: Nineteen patients (male-to-female ratio, 14:5; mean age, 52 y [age range, 8-79 y]) in the study period between 1997 and 2001 had orbital defects that could be classified into one of the following categories: 1) orbital exenteration cavities only, 2) orbital exenteration cavities with resection of less than 30% of the bony orbital rim, or 3) radical orbital exenteration cavities with resection of overlying skin and bony malar eminence. Group 1 had reconstructions with fasciocutaneous forearm flaps; group 2, with osseocutaneous forearm flaps; and group 3, with osseocutaneous scapula flaps. RESULTS: Eighteen of 19 patients achieved a closed orbital reconstruction with restoration of the orbital aesthetic subunit. Among 16 patients with more than 4 months of follow-up, 10 patients had minimal or no resulting facial contour deformity and 8 patients engaged in social activities outside the home on a frequent basis. Five of the nine patients who were working before their surgery were able to return to work. CONCLUSION: Patients with complex midface defects involving the orbit can undergo free tissue transfer and have successful restoration of the native orbital aesthetic subunit without an orbital prosthesis.     

Pierre Robin sequence: postoperative complications following cleft palate surgery. A retrospective study covering 25 years]

BACKGROUND: In a 25-year retrospective review of 1976-2000, the postoperative course after cleft palate surgery and pharyngeal flap surgery in 87 children with Pierre Robin sequence was studied. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study comprised 114 interventions with 87 primary palatoplasties; 17 patients required palatal fistulae repair and 10 children were treated with secondary pharyngoplasty procedures. All children were divided into three postnatal risk groups according to the severity of their symptoms at birth and in the course of the early months of life. RESULTS: A direct correlation was seen between the incidence of early postnatal difficulties and the postoperative obstructive complications after cleft palate surgery and pharyngeal flap surgery. Thus, children experiencing obstructive problems at birth (high postnatal risk group) displayed more severe complications at the time after cleft palate repair. In children undergoing pharyngeal flap surgery not only early postoperative obstruction but also late obstructive sleep apnea can occur.     

Indikationen zur prim?ren operativen Therapie von Gef??anomalien im S?uglingsalter

LASER THERAPY: Since the introduction of laser therapy for treatment of hemangiomas and vascular malformations, primary surgical therapy has gradually lost importance. Particularly hemangiomas, but also venous malformations and lymphangiomas, are nowadays primarily treated by different types of lasers. Especially the Nd:YAG laser with a percutaneous or transcutaneous application technique often leads to satisfying results. SURGICAL THERAPY: Surgical therapy is mostly used secondarily in late childhood or in adults after several laser applications for excision of residual scars or other corrective procedures. Despite these improvements in laser therapy, there is still an indication for primary surgical treatment in subcutaneous vascular malformations and in rapidly growing hemangiomas after unsuccessful laser therapy. Even in large vascular anomalies, safe excision with only a little blood loss is possible if the tumors are encapsulated. CASE REPORTS: In this paper we want to point out the necessity of primary surgery in three children in whom complications such as loss of sight, facial nerve palsy, and a lethal outcome due to massive hemorrhage in a cystic lymphangioma could be avoided.     

Hemangioma of the larynx in children

Hemangiomas were diagnozed in 11 patients (4.6%) out of 235 children with chronic laryngeal stenoses of various etiology. The most frequent symptom was hoarse voice. The children examined were not older than 5 months. In 5 patients, laryngeal hemangiomas were associated with hemangiomas of other body compartments--most frequently on the skin of the face, neck or upper chest. Out of the 11 laryngeal hemangiomas 6 were located below vocal folds, 4 on gastric and aryepiglottic folds and only 1 on vocal folds. The first line method of treatment was cryosurgery. Local freezing was performed on 6 patients. They all were decannulated within 2 to 4 months after intervention. There children with disseminated hemangiomas of the face, neck and upper chest were exposed to radiotherapy. A year after, two of them were decannulated and the third one developed a postradiation scar below vocal cords. In 2 children when they were 2 or 3 years of age, laryngeal hemangiomas disappeared spontaneously without any treatment.     

Orbital complications in endoscopic sinus surgery using powered instrumentation

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Powered dissection is increasingly used in endoscopic sinus surgery. Although it has certain clear advantages over conventional instrumentation, powered dissection also presents special liabilities. The objectives of the report are to highlight the special dangers of powered instrumentation near the orbit, to suggest techniques that might minimize these risks, and to review the management of orbital injuries. STUDY DESIGN: Case series. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of patients who were referred to our institution with orbital injury complicating endoscopic sinus surgery in which powered instrumentation had been used. Patient demographics, status as revision or primary surgery, degree of intraoperative blood loss, indications for surgery, intraoperative findings, the complication sustained, time of recognition of the complication, immediate and delayed treatment, and clinical course were obtained from the clinical records. RESULTS: Three patients had medial rectus muscle injuries. In addition to the medial rectus injury, one patient also had blindness, probably from an orbital hemorrhage. One patient underwent orbital exploration in an unsuccessful attempt to reattach the ends of the medial rectus muscle. One patient had continuing diplopia, but declined orbital exploration or strabismus surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative orbital complications that might be of minor consequence with conventional instrumentation can have dramatic sequelae when powered dissection is used. Special care must be exercised in using powered instrumentation.     

A critical review of 20 years of parotid gland surgery

Conclusion PG surgery provides sufficient radicality with a minimum of functional loss. Patient’s outcome is associated with the reliable estimation of the lesional entity/dignity. Diagnostic approaches are required to determine morphological aspects, avoid unnecessary surgery, and to reliable identify primary carcinomas/occult metastases. Objectives The pre-operative assessment of parotid gland (PG) lesions is of major clinical impact, whilst surgery remains the diagnostic/therapeutic mainstay. There are still controversies about the distribution of entities, clinical course, functional outcome, and survival. Methods In total, 1211 patients were retrospectively analyzed for disease-related data. Differences were analyzed using the Chi-square/Fisher exact/unpaired student’s t-test; survival by Kaplan-Meier. Results There were 946 benign and 265 malignant tumours. In primary PG malignancy the disease-free/overall survival was 78/127 months. Metastases into the PG demonstrated a decreased survival (67 months). Extended surgery was associated with post-operative facial nerve alteration. Extracapsular dissection and superficial parotidectomy did not show differences in the facial palsy rate.     

Modified neck dissection for metastatic nonseminomatous testicular carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the role of neck dissection in the treatment of metastatic stage 3 nonseminomatous germ-cell tumors (NSGCTs) of testicular origin. METHOD: A retrospective review was made of 45 patients with metastatic NSGCT who underwent 48 unilateral and 3 bilateral neck dissections. Only level III-VI nodes were dissected, often with concomitant or staged mediastinal dissection, thoracotomy, and/or retroperitoneal node dissection. Occasionally, resection of the clavicle, jugular vein, or subclavian artery, or a combination of these, was required to eradicate the disease. RESULTS: There were only four instances of recurrence in dissected necks. There was one case of dedifferentiation of mature teratoma to adenocarcinoma Patients who were followed for a mean period of 32 months had a disease-free survival of 72%. Prognosis for patients with stage 3 disease but negative preoperative tumor markers (alpha-fetoprotein and human chorionic gonadotropin) was excellent, with 97% of these patients having no evidence of disease at follow-up. Factors having a negative impact on survival included positive tumor markers, elements of germ-cell cancer in excised nodes, and a neck mass that represents late relapse of disease. CONCLUSION: Modified neck dissection has a demonstrated role in the treatment of metastatic NSGCT. It prevents reversion of mature teratoma to malignant germ cell tumor with minimal morbidity. Aggressive resection of disease is indicated, often in conjunction with thoracic surgery, to eradicate disease extending into the chest. There is an excellent prognosis in patients with negative preoperative serologic tumor markers.     

Studying Whole-Mounted Sections of the Paranasal Sinuses to Understand the Complications of Endoscopic Sinus Surgery

Endoscopic techniques for paranasal sinus surgery have allowed detailed and complete removal of sinus disease while promising minimum distress to the patient. The telescopic view of the operative field shows detail of the sinus anatomy and its disease, not possible in earlier transnasal techniques. Several articles document the serious complications seen with the endoscopic surgery. To understand the paranasal sinuses and their relationships to the orbit and cribriform plate, blocks of cadaver heads that included the orbit and paranasal sinuses were whole sectioned. It has been possible to see areas of the cribriform and orbital wall that are at risk to produce cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea and orbital complications. At the same time, landmarks for avoiding these complications can be defined to guide the surgeon during this dissection as seen through the endoscope.     

Management Options and Survival in Malignant Melanoma of the Sinonasal Mucosa

Objective/Hypothesis: To determine whether surgery combined with radiotherapy confers any survival benefit on radical local excision alone in the management of mucosal malignant melanoma of the nose and sinuses. Study Design: Retrospective review. Methods: From a cohort of 72 patients treated between 1963 and 1996 within a single unit, complete data were available for 58 individuals who were examined to determine whether there was any significant statistical difference in local control and/or survival between those receiving surgery and those receiving combined surgery and radiotherapy. Results: There were 30 men and 28 women. Their ages ranged from 39 to 90 years (mean, 64 y). Twenty-nine patients underwent surgery alone; 23 patients underwent surgery and radiotherapy; 6 patients received surgery and chemotherapy; and 3 patients received surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Primary surgery included lateral rhinotomy (42 cases), maxillectomy (8 cases [orbital clearance in 3 cases]), craniofacial resection (3 cases), total rhinectomy (3 cases), and endoscopic clearance (2 cases). Survival ranged from 1 to 228 months with rapid patient loss due to local (and/or systemic) disease during the first 36 months, irrespective of the treatment modality. Overall 5-year actuarial survival was 28%, and overall 10-year actuarial survival 20%, with a median survival of 21 months. There was no statistical difference in local control or survival between patients receiving surgery alone and those receiving surgery and radiotherapy, irrespective of whether this treatment was given in the early part of the series (i.e., before 1983) or thereafter. The addition of chemotherapy had no impact on survival, nor did the site of the tumor, the surgical procedure, the presence of lymph node metastases or the age of the patient. Conclusion: In this large cohort of sinonasal melanoma, overall survival was poor and did not appear to be improved by the addition of radiotherapy.     

Transoral CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> laser management for selected supraglottic tumors and neck dissection

This study aimed to evaluate transoral laser resection as a method of choice for conservation surgery for supraglottic laryngeal carcinoma in carefully selected patients. Between 1987 and 2006, 55 patients with early supraglottic carcinoma were selected for transoral laser surgery. The outcome of the endoscopic CO₂ laser resection and larynx-sparing functional results without tracheotomy was evaluated. Fifty-five patients with T1, T2 supraglottic carcinomas underwent transoral CO₂ laser resection and seven patients with manifest neck metastasis required a neck dissection at one session with additional postoperative radiation therapy. There was no need for tracheotomy; deglutition was moderately disturbed. Forty of the 55 (73%) patients had no signs of recurrence to date. Fifteen patients with local recurrences underwent salvage therapies: six repeated laser excisions, three radiotherapies, four supraglottic laryngectomies and two total laryngectomies. Laser-specific survival is 84% and larynx preservation is 96%. The overall 5-year-survival after salvage treatment is 98%. Development of late metastasis required five radical neck dissections (RND) and radiation therapy. The results indicated that transoral laser resection can control early supraglottic cancer in selected patients and can be combined with simultaneous neck dissection with less morbidity than “open surgery”.     

Endoscopic resection of sinonasal hemangiomas and hemangiopericytomas

INTRODUCTION: Endoscopic resection of benign neoplasms, such as inverted papilloma, has been well described. There are limited case reports of endoscopic resection of benign vascular tumors, including hemangiomas, or those with low-grade malignant potential, such as hemangiopericytomas. METHODS: Retrospective review of sinonasal hemangiomas and hemangiopericytomas resected endoscopically at a single tertiary-care facility. RESULTS: Three hemangiomas and 3 hemangiopericytomas were resected endoscopically with no recurrences at a mean follow-up of 22 months. Four tumors involved the skull base; 2 of these underwent preoperative embolization. One patient had a CSF leak that occurred as the tumor was removed from the cribriform plate and that was successfully repaired intraoperatively. The average size of the tumors was 5.8 cm x 2.7 cm with all tumors at least 2.5 cm in greatest dimension by computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. The largest tumor was 12 cm in greatest dimension. An average of 8 intraoperative frozen section margins was taken around 5 tumors, with all margins of each tumor clear on final pathology. Patients included 4 males and 2 females with an average age of 47 years. CONCLUSION: Large vascular neoplasms of the sinonasal cavity, such as hemangiomas and hemangiopericytomas, can be safely removed using endoscopic techniques. Although these patients have a limited follow-up, it is prudent to perform long-term endoscopic follow-up in order to detect recurrences regardless of resection technique.     

Craniofacial resection for malignant melanoma of the skull base: report of an international collaborative study

OBJECTIVE: To report postoperative mortality, complications, and outcomes in a subset of patients with the histologic diagnosis of malignant melanoma extracted from an existing database of a large cohort of patients accumulated from multiple institutions. DESIGN: Retrospective outcome analysis. SETTING: Seventeen international tertiary referral centers performing craniofacial surgery for malignant skull base tumors. PATIENTS: A total of 53 patients were identified from a database of 1307 patients who had craniofacial resection for malignant tumors at 17 institutions. The median age was 63 years. Of the 53 patients, 25 (47%) had had prior single modality or combined treatment, which included surgery in 22 (42%), radiation in 11 (21%), and chemotherapy in 2 (4%). The margins of resection were close or microscopically positive in 7 (13%). Adjuvant radiotherapy was given in 22 (42%), chemotherapy in 3 (6%), and vaccine or interferon therapy in 2 (4%). Complications were classified into overall, local, central nervous system, systemic, and orbital. Overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were determined using the Kaplan-Meier method. Predictors of outcome were identified by multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Postoperative mortality occurred in 3 patients (6%) and postoperative complications were reported in 14 patients (26%). Local wound complications occurred in 6 patients (11%), central nervous system in 7 (13%), systemic in 3 (6%), and orbital in 1 (2%). With a median follow-up of 10 months (range, 1-159 months), the 3-year OS, DSS, and RFS rates were 28.2%, 29.7%, and 25.5%, respectively. The extent of orbital involvement and adjuvant postoperative radiation therapy (PORT) were independent predictors of DSS and OS on multivariate analysis, whereas only PORT was an independent predictor of RFS. Patients treated with PORT had significantly better 3-year OS (39% vs 18%; relative risk, 2.9; P = .007), DSS (41% vs 19%; relative risk, 3.0; P = .007), and RFS (39% vs 15%; relative risk, 4.2; P = .001). CONCLUSIONS: Craniofacial resection in patients with malignant melanoma of the skull base has mortality (6%) and complication rates (26%) comparable to other malignant tumors of the skull base. However, malignant melanoma is associated with a much poorer OS, DSS, and RFS. Adjuvant PORT correlated with improved 3-year OS, DSS, and RFS on multivariate analysis. These factors must be taken into account when considering craniofacial resection in a patient with malignant melanoma invading the skull base.