Assessment of quality of life in giant ameloblastoma adolescent patients who have had mandible defects reconstructed with a free fibula flap.

Xiangru Li,Hongwen Li,Kuicheng Zhu,Fei Liu

doi:10.1186/1477-7819-12-201

Abstract

BackgroundThe reconstruction of mandibular defects after giant ameloblastoma resection is one of the most challenging problems facing reconstructive surgeons. Mandibular resection has been associated with a poor quality of life (QOL), particularly in adolescent patients reconstructed with a free fibula flap. This study aims to evaluate QOL outcomes in adolescent patients who have had mandibular resections of giant ameloblastoma and reconstruction with a free fibula flap and to collect information about their socio-cultural situation.MethodsThe present study assessed 45 adolescent patients who had undergone immediate mandible reconstruction with a free fibula flap for faint ameloblastoma using University of Washington Quality of Life (UW-QOL) and 14-item Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) questionnaires.ResultsThirty-five of the 54 questionnaires were returned (64.81%). In the UW-QOL, of the twelve disease-specific domains, the best three scores from the patients related to pain, shoulder and appearance and the worst three scores related to chewing, anxiety and saliva. In the OHIP-14, the lowest-scoring domain was handicap, followed by physical pain and social disability.ConclusionsMandibular reconstruction with a free fibular flap significantly influenced the adolescent patients’ QOL. Adolescent patients pay more attention to postoperative facial appearance; this should be considered in surgical planning.

Highlights

The reconstruction of mandibular defects after giant ameloblastoma resection is one of the most challenging problems facing reconstructive surgeons
In the recent histologic classification of odontogenic tumors from the World Health Organization (WHO), ameloblastoma is defined as a benign, locally invasive epithelial odontogenic neoplasm of putative enamel organ origin
Ameloblastomas are benign, locally-invasive odontogenic neoplasms of epithelial origin, which are derived from the tooth-forming apparatus [1]

Summary

Introduction

The reconstruction of mandibular defects after giant ameloblastoma resection is one of the most challenging problems facing reconstructive surgeons. Mandibular resection has been associated with a poor quality of life (QOL), in adolescent patients reconstructed with a free fibula flap. This study aims to evaluate QOL outcomes in adolescent patients who have had mandibular resections of giant ameloblastoma and reconstruction with a free fibula flap and to collect information about their socio-cultural situation. In the recent histologic classification of odontogenic tumors from the World Health Organization (WHO), ameloblastoma is defined as a benign, locally invasive epithelial odontogenic neoplasm of putative enamel organ origin. Ameloblastomas are benign, locally-invasive odontogenic neoplasms of epithelial origin, which are derived from the tooth-forming apparatus [1]. They account for approximately 60% of odontogenic tumors of the mandible and 10% of all jaw tumors [2]. 10 to 15% of all ameloblastoma occur in young patients; it is considered a rare tumor in these groups [3,4]

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