Midfacial Degloving Approach

Lee, Hyung Seok; Tae, Kyung; Kim, Kyung Rae; Jang, Young Ho

Abstract

Traditionally, surgical access to the midface structures for the removal of benign or malignant tumors has been through paranasal sinuses, external facial incisions, or hard palate. However, large or malignant lesions of the nose, paranasal sinuses and nasopharynx have a particularly difficult problem of these surgical approach. The midfacial degloving approach combined with/without medial maxillectomy provide an alternative method that requires no facial incisions and minimal functional impairment. Exposure and surgical facility may be equal or superior to that of traditional procedures in selected cases. Combining this method with bi-frontal, brow, transtemporal, and transpalatal approach is also possible for extensive lesions. We did midfacial degloving in 13 patients who were seen with benign or malignant lesions involving the midface structures from Jan. 1991 to Dec. 1994. Thus we analysed the clinical data including the advantage and complications of this method retrospectively.