Health-related quality of life after mandibular resection for oral cancer: Reconstruction with free fibula flap

OBJECTIVES Mandibular resection for oral cancer is often necessary to achieve an adequate margin of tumor clearance.Mandibular resection has been associated with a poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL), particularly before free fibula flap to reconstruct the defect. The aim of this study was to evaluate health-related quality of life in patients who have had mandibular resections of oral cancer and reconstruction with free fibula flap. STUDY DESIGNS There were 115 consecutive patients between 2008 and 2011 who were treated by primary surgery for oral squamous cell carcinoma, 34 patients had a mandibular resection. HRQOL was assessed by means of the 14-item Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) and University of Washington Quality of Life (UW-QOL) questionnaires after 12 months postoperatively. RESULTS In the UW-QOL the best-scoring domain was mood, whereas the lowest scores were for chewing and saliva. In the OHIP-14 the lowest-scoring domain was social disability, followed by handicap, and psychological disability. CONCLUSION Mandible reconstruction with free fibula flap would have significantly influenced on patients'quality of life and oral functions.The socio-cultural data show a fairly low level of education for the majority of patients.