Maxillary Sinus & Palate Cancer Surgery.
Expert surgical management of upper jaw, sinus, and hard palate malignancies. Specializing in partial and total maxillectomies with immediate defect reconstruction using microvascular free flaps or obturator prostheses to preserve speech and chewing function.
Objective, evidence-based staging and maxillectomy guidelines.
- MDS (Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery)
- IFAAM (Germany)
Oncology & Flap Reconstruction Specialty
Maxilla & Sinus Cancer Screening
Concerned about an upper jaw swelling, palate ulcer, or sinus issues? Use our clinical screening checklist to analyze your risk profile based on clinical indicators.
Quick assessment based on upper jaw symptoms.
No personal data saved during check.
Risk metrics reflecting cheek numbness and vision changes.
Question Text
No immediate concern detected
Based on your answers, there are no immediate signs of maxilla pathology. Routine screening is advised.
Maxilla & Sinus Resection Protocol
The maxilla (upper jaw bone) forms the floor of the eye socket, the floor of the nasal cavity, and the roof of the mouth. Tumors can arise in the maxillary sinus lining (maxillary sinus carcinoma), the hard palate mucosal lining, or the alveolar bone. Because the maxilla consists of thin, hollow air cavities, tumors can expand silent for a long time, often discovered only when they invade the mouth, push the eye upward, or cause nasal blockages.
1. Sinus Tumors and Diagnosis
Early signs of maxillary sinus cancers can mimic chronic sinus infections: one-sided nasal blockage, minor nosebleeds, or cheek pain. However, as the mass grows, it can cause upper teeth to loosen, create a visible bulge in the roof of the mouth or cheek, or compress the infraorbital nerve, leading to numbness in the cheek, upper lip, or side of the nose. A high-resolution contrast CT scan or MRI is required to evaluate bony destruction and guide margins.
2. The Maxillectomy Procedure
Surgical removal of upper jaw cancers is called a **maxillectomy**. Depending on the tumor location and staging, it is classified as: * Infrastructure Maxillectomy: Removes only the hard palate and alveolar bone, leaving the floor of the eye socket intact. * Suinfrastructure Maxillectomy: Removes the upper sinus walls, cheekbone, or orbital floor, preserving the mouth roof. * Total Maxillectomy: Removes the entire half of the upper jaw, sinus, and floor of the eye socket. If the eye socket floor is removed, it must be reconstructed to prevent the eye from dropping down (enophthalmos/diplopia).
3. Reconstruction: Flaps vs. Obturators
Removing the palate creates a direct opening between the mouth and nasal cavity, making normal speech (nasal tone) and swallowing (food/liquid leaking out of the nose) impossible. Dr. Saha utilizes two primary reconstructive choices: * Palatal Obturator: A specialized prosthetic plate (similar to a denture) that snaps into place to seal the opening, instantly restoring speech and swallowing. * Microvascular Free Flaps: Using a fibular free flap (to rebuild upper jaw bone and support implants) or an ALT/forearm soft-tissue free flap to physically seal the roof of the mouth, avoiding the need for removable plates.
Maxilla & Sinus Surgery Q&A
Scientific explanations covering maxillectomy procedures, palatal obturators, and recovery.
A maxillectomy is the surgical removal of part or all of the upper jaw bone (maxilla). Because it creates a opening between the mouth and nasal cavity, it causes speech to sound highly nasal and lets liquids or food escape through the nose. This is fully resolved by sealing the defect immediately using a palatal obturator plate or a microvascular free flap.
A palatal obturator is a custom-made dental prosthesis (similar to a retainer or denture with a bulb extension) that physically blocks the opening in the roof of the mouth after a maxillectomy. It is inserted immediately after surgery (surgical obturator) and adjusted as tissues heal (definitive obturator), enabling patients to eat, speak, and swallow normally.
To preserve facial contours and prevent the cheek from sinking in, Dr. Saha utilizes internal titanium plates and reconstruction meshes to support the facial soft tissues. In extensive resections (e.g. Suinfrastructure or Total Maxillectomies), microvascular free tissue transfers (like the fibula free flap, which provides bone for future dental implants) are used to rebuild the structural framework of the face.
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