Unilateral saggital split osteotomy – a technical note for treating oral cancer

Abstract

Head and neck cancer is neurotrophic and nearly 30% of cases appear to have nerve involvement.1 Segmental mandibulectomy is the treatment of choice in head and neck cancer cases that have evident or possible involvement of the inferior alveolar nerve.2 We suggest that the posterior osteotomy in this procedure should be performed as a unilateral sagittal split osteotomy. This technique allows the surgeon to not only follow the nerve to the base of the skull but also to cut with the handpiece away from the nerve.