Evidence-based Management of Osteoradionecrosis and Medication Related Osteonecrosis of the Head and Neck

Monday, October 19, 2026

4:00 PM - 4:50 PM PT

Location: Petree Hall D

Moderator(s)

Eric D. Lamarre, MD

Chief, Head and Neck Surgical Oncology
Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Panelist(s)

NF

Neal D. Futran, MD, DMD

Professor
University of Washington Medical Center
Seattle, Washington, United States
SC

Steven Cannady, MD

Professor of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine
University Pennsylvania, United States
MF

Michael A. Fritz, MD

Professor of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine
Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland, Ohio, United States

The course will review the pathophysiology of osteoradionecrosis and medically related osteonecrosis, the sites typically affected in each disease and will focus on the treatments associated. We discuss evidence-based medical management of the disease including pentoxifylline and tocopherol. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has long been employed as a treatment and a comprehensive review of the literature will be explored. Other novel techniques including use of vascularized tissue to reverse the progression of the disease will be explored in addition to bony reconstruction for more advanced disease. Finally, a novel classification system is presented that is tailored to escalating treatment with advancing disease.

Learning Objectives:

1. Review pathophysiology, incidence, anatomic sites of involvement and radiographic findings of ORN and MRON
2. Explore evidence behind contemporary management of the disease – including medical management and HBO. Expound on novel techniques involving vascularized tissue to reverse progression of ORN and MRON while utilizing bony reconstruction for more advanced cases
3. Review classifications systems and propose a novel classification system that pairs extent of disease with escalating management