title: Quality of Life in Patients After Maxillectomy and Placement of Prosthetic Obturator.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess quality of life (QoL) and obturator functioning in patients having undergone a maxillectomy as a tumor ablative resection and rehabilitation with a prosthetic obturator.
  
  
  METHODS
  The University of Washington Quality of Life scale version 4 (UW-QoLv4) and the Obturator Functioning Scale (OFS) were used to evaluate the self-reported QoL and obturator functioning. The effects of demographic and treatment variables on QoL were assessed using age, defect size, postoperative radiotherapy (RT), neck dissection, and dentition.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study included 16 men and 13 women with a mean age of 48.8 years. Of the 29 patients, 16 had a Brown Class 2a or smaller defect and 13 had a Brown Class 2b or larger defect. The mean OFS score (P = .004) and the physical (P = .001) and social-emotional function scores (P = .001) of the patients who received postoperative RT were significantly lower than those who did not receive postoperative RT. The subscales for swallowing (P = .008), saliva (P = .001), pain (P = .001), and shoulder function (P = .002) correlated strongly with postoperative RT on the UW-QoL. The subscales for pronunciation (P = .007) and saliva (P = .002) correlated significantly with RT on the OFS. The mean OFS scores were significantly lower for the patients with a Brown Class 2a or smaller defect than for Brown Class 2b or larger (P = .005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Postoperative RT was the strongest variable affecting QoL in patients with maxillectomy and prosthetic obturator reconstruction. The size of the defect slightly influenced the obturator function; however, it did not influence the overall QoL.
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wen-Hao
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Rui-Zhe
authors.initials: RZ
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Zhi-Ping
authors.initials: ZP
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Lin-Mei
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shao-Ming
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.forename: Ke-Qian
authors.initials: KQ
authors.lastname: Zhi
mesh_terms: D017266:Dental Prosthesis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D037981:Neck Dissection; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires