The dual-port endoscope-assisted cyst enucleation on the maxillofacial region

BACKGROUND: Endoscope-assisted surgery is a surgical method that has been used in oral and maxillofacial surgical fields. It provides good illumination, clear, and magnified visualization of the operative field. The purpose of this article is to describe the early clinical experiences to conduct minimally invasive surgery with endoscope-assisted enucleation of cysts on the jaw. It appears that this approach may be a superior alternative to the conventional approach. METHODS: In this study, 24 patients (9 females, 15 males, average age 41.5) underwent endoscope-assisted cyst enucleation under general anesthesia. All operations were done by one surgeon. The cases were classified depending on whether bone penetration occurred at the cyst site. The cystic lesions were enucleated using an endoscope with a 0°, 1.9 mm diameter, or a 30°, 2.7 mm diameter. Two bony windows were used for the insertion of a syringe for irrigation, curettes, suction tips, sinus blades, surgical drills, and an endoscope. An additional small channel was made for the insertion of endoscopic instruments. RESULTS: The 24 patients who underwent cyst enucleation were regularly observed for 3 to 12 months to evaluate for complications. Although some patients experienced swelling and numbness, these symptoms did not persist, and the patients soon returned to normal and there was no sign of recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study have suggested the possibility of minimally invasive surgery with endoscopes when it comes to cyst removal in the oral and maxillofacial region. Nevertheless, this study has limitations designed as a preliminary report focusing on the feasibility of endoscope-assisted cyst enucleation in the oral and maxillofacial regions.