title: Assessment of quality of life in giant ameloblastoma adolescent patients who have had mandible defects reconstructed with a free fibula flap.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  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), 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.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 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.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mandibular 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.
authors.forename: Xiangru
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Kuicheng
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Dermatology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou university, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China. zzyfykq4@163.com.
authors.forename: Hongwen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000564:Ameloblastoma / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005360:Fibula / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000637:transplantation*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D058752:Free Tissue Flaps; D006801:Humans; D007573:Jaw Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D012922:Social Change; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult