This retrospective study aimed to demonstrate the incidence and the aetiological factors involved in
osteoradionecrosis (ORN) in a group of 830 head and neck tumour patients who received
radiotherapy between 1969 and 1999. The data showed an over all incidence of 8.2% and a 3-fold higher incidence for men than for women.
Osteoradionecrosis was most commonly located in the body of the mandible. Concerning the risk factors, a negative influence was shown for advanced tumours, segmental resections of the mandible and pre-/post-radiation
tooth extractions.
Tooth extractions were found to be responsible for 50% of all cases. The
osteoradionecroses were observed significantly earlier in patients who received pre-surgical
radiotherapy than those who received post-surgical
radiotherapy. Combined pre-surgical radio- and
chemotherapy significantly hastened the appearance of
osteoradionecrosis compared to pre-surgical
radiotherapy alone. Only 40% of patients with
osteoradionecrosis could be healed completely by means of surgery and
antibiotic medication.
Hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO)
therapy was performed only in individual cases. The data suggest that
osteoradionecrosis has a multifactorial aetiology. Therefore, a very close follow-up of tumour patients and a strict prophylactic management are required.