Quality-of-life outcomes of the patients with tongue cancer following reconstruction with free forearm flap

VernacularTitle:前臂皮瓣修复舌癌术后舌缺损患者的生存质量评价
Author: Yu-Li WANG ¹ ; Xin PENG ; Yi LUO
Author Information

1. 北京大学口腔医学院口腔医院
Keywords: Carcinoma,squamous cell; Surgical flaps; Quality of life
From: Chinese Journal of Stomatology 2011;46(1):27-30
CountryChina
Language:Chinese
Abstract: Objective To evaluate the quality-of-life outcomes in patients with tongue cancer following reconstruction with free forearm flap. Methods Quality-of-life (QOL) outcomes of 112 patients of tongue reconstruction with free forearm flap were assessed using University of Washington head and neck QOL questionnaire (UW-QOL). The QOL outcomes of the patients with different defect range and site were also compared. Results The overall mean QOL scores of the 112 patients was 959. 6, which reached about 80% (960/1200)of the overall score. The QOL scores of the patients with defects not more than 1/2 tongue ( more than 1/3 tongue) were significantly higher than those with defects more than 1/2 tongue ( P ＜0.05 ).There was no significant difference between the QOL scores of the patients with and without tongue base defect (P ＞ 0.05 ). Conclusions Free forearm flap is a good choice for tongue reconstruction and more suitable for the reconstruction of the defects not more than 1/2 tongue ( more than 1/3 tongue).