New combined approach described for total mandibulectomy in dogs
Bottom line
A new technical note in Veterinary Surgery describes a combined approach for total mandibulectomy in dogs that pairs a lateral condylectomy with a ventral mandibulectomy, with the goal of improving exposure of the temporomandibular joint while allowing safer removal of key neurovascular structures. The authors, Mateo Castano Ospina, Jane Pegg, and Sarah Boston, first evaluated the technique in a canine cadaver and then applied it clinically in a dog with a mandibular soft tissue sarcoma. According to the abstract, the approach is designed to make one of veterinary oral surgery’s most technically demanding procedures more controlled and practical. (lifescience.net)
Why it matters: Total mandibulectomy is generally reserved for aggressive or extensively invasive mandibular tumors, but it’s known to be highly invasive and technically challenging. Prior literature has emphasized that when tumors extend within the mandibular canal, surgeons may need more radical resection to achieve en bloc removal, while newer techniques have tried to reduce morbidity when full total mandibulectomy can be avoided. This report matters because it adds another option at the most complex end of that spectrum, potentially helping surgeons improve access, adhere to oncologic principles, and manage difficult caudal mandibular disease more safely. For general practitioners and oncologists, it’s also a reminder that referral planning, advanced imaging, and early case selection remain central when discussing oral tumor surgery with pet parents. (frontiersin.org)
What to watch: Watch for publication of the full case details, postoperative outcomes, and whether other referral centers adopt or study the technique in additional dogs. (lifescience.net)
Key facts
- Journal
- Veterinary Surgery
- Article type
- Technical note
- Species
- Dogs
- Procedure
- Combined approach for total mandibulectomy
- Technique
- Lateral condylectomy plus ventral mandibulectomy
- Goal
- Improve temporomandibular joint exposure and safer neurovascular dissection
- Preclinical test
- Evaluated in a dog cadaver
- Clinical case
- Used in a dog with left mandibular soft tissue sarcoma
A newly published technical note in Veterinary Surgery outlines a combined approach for total mandibulectomy in dogs, combining a lateral approach for condylectomy with a ventral approach for the mandibulectomy itself. The authors report that they tested the method in a dog cadaver before using it in a clinical case involving a dog with a left mandibular soft tissue sarcoma, positioning the technique as a way to improve surgical exposure and facilitate safer dissection of neurovascular structures during a demanding oncologic procedure. (lifescience.net)
That matters because total mandibulectomy sits at the far end of the surgical spectrum for canine oral tumors. Oral neoplasms account for roughly 6% of canine tumors, and treatment decisions often hinge on tumor type, location, and the extent of local invasion. When disease extends into the mandibular canal or involves the ramus, surgeons may need aggressive en bloc resection to follow sound oncologic principles, but those operations can be technically difficult, time consuming, and morbid. (vet.cornell.edu)
The new note arrives in the context of a broader push in veterinary oromaxillofacial surgery to refine access and reduce morbidity where possible. In 2019, Cornell investigators described an “extended subtotal mandibulectomy” as an alternative for selected mandibular body tumors invading the mandibular canal, specifically to preserve the condylar and coronoid processes and avoid a full total mandibulectomy in some dogs. That work underscored both the importance of complete excision of the mandibular canal in appropriate cases and the field’s interest in techniques that balance oncologic control with function and recovery. (frontiersin.org)
Against that backdrop, the combined approach described by Castano Ospina, Pegg, and Boston appears aimed at the cases where a true total mandibulectomy is still necessary, but exposure is a major operative challenge. Based on the abstract, the technique integrates lateral condylectomy with ventral mandibulectomy to optimize temporomandibular joint access and support safe removal of neurovascular structures. So far, the published summary points to proof-of-concept evidence rather than a large outcomes series: one cadaveric evaluation and one clinical canine case. (lifescience.net)
Broader evidence suggests why incremental technical improvements in this space are meaningful. A large retrospective analysis of 459 dogs undergoing mandibulectomy or maxillectomy found measurable postoperative complication risks, including dehiscence and fistula formation, while quality-of-life research has generally shown that pet parents often perceive good postoperative quality of life after partial mandibulectomy or maxillectomy. Taken together, those findings suggest that while these surgeries can be well tolerated, operative planning and complication avoidance still matter a great deal, especially as procedures become more radical. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Expert reaction specific to this new paper was limited in publicly available sources at the time of review. Still, the surrounding literature reflects a consistent specialty view: oral tumor surgery in dogs is increasingly shaped by careful imaging, margin planning, and procedure selection based on anatomy. Cornell’s oral oncology materials, for example, note that surgery remains a mainstay for many canine oral tumors, even as investigators explore medical options that could shrink tumors and allow less invasive procedures in some patients. That context makes a technical note like this relevant not only to surgeons, but also to referring veterinarians and oncologists who help determine when a case should move quickly to specialty care. (vet.cornell.edu)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, this is less about an immediate standard-of-care shift and more about the gradual refinement of high-acuity oral cancer surgery. If the combined approach proves reproducible, it could give surgeons another way to tackle caudal mandibular tumors that require total mandibulectomy, potentially improving visualization in the temporomandibular region and reducing intraoperative difficulty. For primary care teams, the practical takeaway is earlier recognition of oral masses, timely imaging and biopsy, and referral before local extension makes surgery even more complex. Conversations with pet parents may also benefit from a more nuanced message: these are still major surgeries, but the field continues to evolve toward better-planned, more anatomically tailored procedures. (lifescience.net)
What to watch: The next step is whether the authors or other centers publish a larger case series with operative times, margin status, complications, functional outcomes, and recurrence data, which would help clarify where this combined approach fits relative to existing subtotal and total mandibulectomy techniques. (lifescience.net)