JAW TUMORS

Tumors of the jaws are often malignant only in that sense that they recur if not excised radically (removed completely). Therefore it is important to operate and remove as much as needed to cure the patient. If surgery is not done the patient will face intolerable sufferings and a painful protracted death.

The following patient was appointed for maxillectomy (removal of the upper jaw), but unfortunately another surgeon did only a biopsy (took a piece of the tumor for microscopically investigation) in my absence. The patient, an ignorant farmer without any medical knowledge, thought that the biopsy would cure him, and only turned up long time after with an obviously misinterpreted biopsy result, claiming that he suffered from an “inflammatory process”. He refused extended excision including the eye, but later changed his mind. However when finally returning back for treatment he was far out of reach for surgical intervention.

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January 2003

July 2005

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May 2008

May 2008

 

Biopsy is usually not of any help in these cases – or any cases for that matter. The biopsy has to be sent by courier to Addis Abeba, the result has to be collected and returned again by courier to the hospital. This is a long, time consuming and expensive procedure without significant importance for the practical treatment, which in these cases always will be a radical excision.

The jaw tumors are

MAXILLARY TUMORS (upper jaw tumors) – see that page

and

MANDIBULAR TUMORS (lower jaw tumors) – see that page