Complications of anterior craniofacial resection.

Background: The complications associated with anterior craniofacial resections for benign and malignant tumors were reviewed in 104 patients treated between January 1981 and June 1996.

Methods: Information regarding patient characteristics, histologic type, history of prior therapy, extent of the disease, extent of surgical procedure, and type of reconstruction were entered in a microcomputer database. To better understand and stage postoperative complications, we divided them into early (<14 days) and late (>14 days) according to the time of presentation, into major and minor depending on the morbidity potential of complication, and into local and systemic ones.