Clinical outcome and health-related quality-of-life following microsurgical reconstruction in patients with oral and oropharyngeal cancer.
CONCLUSIONS
Radial forearm free flap (RFFF) and fibula free flap (FFF) provide high safety and reliability with low incidence of free flap failure and an acceptable level of complications and health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL).


OBJECTIVE
To determine the clinical outcomes and long-term HRQoL in patients with oral or oropharyngeal cancer following free flap reconstruction.


METHODS
A retrospective review of medical records and self-administered HRQoL questionnaires, EORTC QLQ-C30, and -H&N35. All patients who underwent surgery for oral or oropharyngeal cancer followed by primary reconstruction by RFFF or FFF at Rigshospitalet between September 2001 and November 2011 were included.


RESULTS
The study comprised 19 patients still alive out of 61 patients. The free flap success rate was 94.7%. Early post-operative complications occurred in 11 patients (57.9%); however, only three cases (15.8%) required re-surgery. Nine patients (47.4%) developed late complications, including mandibular osteoradionecrosis in six cases (31.6%). Most patients obtained acceptable values of global quality-of-life and relatively high scores on the functional scales.
a Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, and Audiology, Rigshospitalet , Copenhagen University Hospital , Copenhagen , Denmark.
Shems
S
Al-Hayder
b Department of Plastic Surgery, Breast Surgery, and Burns Treatment, Rigshospitalet , Copenhagen University Hospital , Copenhagen , Denmark.
Jens Jørgen
JJ
Elberg
c Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, and Audiology, Rigshospitalet , Copenhagen University Hospital , Copenhagen , Denmark.
Birgitte
B
Charabi
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D013517:Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D016896:Treatment Outcome
Head and neck neoplasms; free tissue flaps; post-operative complications; quality-of-life