Advancementresection

Advancementresection is a surgical concept describing a combined strategy in which tissue advancement is used to improve access or alter tension, followed by targeted resection of a pathology and adjacent tissue. The term appears in a variety of specialties and is often presented as a unifying framework for achieving adequate margins while preserving function and maintaining vascular supply.

In practice, advancementresection involves careful preoperative planning with imaging and navigation. A first phase mobilizes or advances a flap, bone fragment, or other native tissue to create safe exposure. The second phase performs resection of the lesion with attention to oncologic or pathologic margins, sometimes with immediate reconstruction to restore form and perfusion.

Indications cited in the literature include skull base and spinal lesions, complex maxillofacial deformities, and selected soft tissue tumors where conventional exposure risks collateral damage. It may be employed to decompress critical structures while removing disease, or to facilitate reconstruction by aligning native tissue with residual margins.

Advantages described include improved visualization, reduced tissue tension, and potential preservation of function. Limitations include the learning curve, requirement for precise control of blood supply, risk of compromising margins during tissue advancement, and the need for multidisciplinary collaboration. Evidence remains limited to case reports and small series.

As a nascent concept, advancementresection lacks standardized protocols. Ongoing research aims to define indications, optimize sequencing, and evaluate outcomes across specialties.