Details of Maxillectomy

This is the removal of all or part of the maxillary bone (the upper jaw). This type is used for both benign and malignant tumors of the hard palate, nose, maxillary sinus, or any tumor that has grown to involve the maxilla.

Types:

Medical maxillectomy: In this procedure, the part of the maxilla next to the nose is removed, but the eye and the hard palate are preserved.

Infrastructure maxillectomy: The hard palate and lower part of the maxilla are removed, along with some of the teeth, but the orbital floor is kept intact.

Suprastructure maxillectomy: The orbital floor and the upper part of the maxilla are removed, but the hard palate is kept intact. Orbit may or may not be removed.

Subtotal Maxillectomy: Involves some variation of the above procedures, in which a portion, but not all of the maxilla is removed.

Total Maxillectomy: In this procedure, the hard palate, orbital floor, and the entire maxilla on one side of the face are removed. Sometimes the orbit will also be removed, which depends on the extent of the tumor invasion.