Piezosurgical bone-cutting technology reduces risk of maxillectomy and mandibulectomy complications in dogs

Abstract

Abstract OBJECTIVE To report the complication rate of dogs undergoing oral oncological surgery when using a bone-cutting piezoelectric unit for osteotomies. CLINICAL PRESENTATION AND PROCEDURES Retrospective cohort evaluation of medical records from 2012 through 2022 for canine patients that underwent mandibulectomy or maxillectomy for the treatment of oral neoplasia at the Companion Animal Hospital at Cornell University. Cases were included if osteotomy was performed using a piezoelectric unit. Medical records were then reviewed for documentation of intraoperative hemorrhage and administration of blood products. RESULTS 41 maxillectomies and 57 mandibulectomies met the inclusion criteria (98 in total). Only 1 (1.02%) case was associated with excessive surgical bleeding requiring administration of blood products. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results of this study show that intraoperative hemorrhage requiring the use of blood products during or immediately after a mandibulectomy or maxillectomy is rare when using a piezoelectric unit to perform osteotomies, and is substantially lower than that previously reported when using oscillating saws or other bone-cutting devices for maxillectomies.