Quality of Life Assessment in Patients After Mandibular Resection and Free Fibula Flap Reconstruction

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to assess patients' quality of life (QOL) after mandibular resection and reconstruction with the free fibula flap (FFF). Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective study of all patients who underwent segmental mandibular resection and FFF reconstruction at the Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, McGill University Health Center. The patients were contacted and asked to complete a QOL assessment at least 1 year after surgery. The patients' photographs were taken and evaluated for the esthetic outcomes after surgery by 2 dental health professionals using a visual analog scale and compared with the patients' self-evaluations. A descriptive analysis was used for data analysis. Results: Seventeen patients underwent segmental mandibular resection and reconstruction with a FFF, and 11 completed the QOL questionnaire. Two patients were deceased at the start of the study, 1 refused to complete the QOL questionnaire, and 3 had developed disease recurrence and were not asked to complete the QOL questionnaire. Of the 11 patients who completed the QOL assessment, 8 rated their overall QOL as outstanding, very good, or good and 3 reported it to be fair. No significant correlation was found between the patients' self-reported esthetic evaluation and the third-party evaluations. Conclusions: Most patients who underwent mandibular resection and FFF reconstruction reported satisfaction with their overall QOL. We did not find a correlation between the patients' perceived esthetic outcome and the dental healthcare professionals' assessment. (C) 2014 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons