HOMEPRODUCTSCOMPANYCONTACTFAQResearchDictionaryPharmaSign Up FREE or Login

Swallowing-related quality of life after free flap surgery due to cancer of the head and neck.

AbstractPURPOSE:
Treatment of head and neck cancers (HNC) often leads to impairment in speech and swallowing functions. This study evaluated swallowing problems and the impact of complications on swallowing-related QOL after free flap surgery for HNC.
METHODS:
Swallowing-related QOL was assessed using MDADI and SWAL questionnaires.
RESULTS:
Of 45 assessed patients, 25 (45.5%) had at least one postoperative complication. Patients reported less than < 86 points in 8/9 SWAL-QOL domains. The SWAL-QL total score or MDADI composite scores were not related to surgical complications. Those with medical complications had lower scores in SWAL-QOL domains of mental health (82.8 (21.8) vs 65.5 (24.2), p = 0.024) and sleep (77.6 (23.0) vs 52.3 (24.3), p = 0.003).
CONCLUSIONS:
In conclusion, swallowing related QOL is significantly impaired after 2 years of the tumor resection and free flap reconstruction for cancer of the head and neck, when using the cut-off value of 86 points in SWAL-QOL assessment tool. Surgical complications did not have an impact on swallowing-related QOL but medical complications were related to impairment in general QOL-related domains.
AuthorsSanna Lahtinen, Petri Koivunen, Tero Ala-Kokko, Outi Kaarela, Päivi Laurila, Janne H Liisanantti
JournalEuropean archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery (Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol) Vol. 276 Issue 3 Pg. 821-826 (Mar 2019) ISSN: 1434-4726 [Electronic] Germany
PMID30593593 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
Topics
  • Aged
  • Deglutition
  • Deglutition Disorders (etiology)
  • Female
  • Free Tissue Flaps
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms (physiopathology, surgery)
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Postoperative Complications (etiology, physiopathology)
  • Quality of Life
  • Speech
  • Surveys and Questionnaires

Join CureHunter, for free Research Interface BASIC access!

Take advantage of free CureHunter research engine access to explore the best drug and treatment options for any disease. Find out why thousands of doctors, pharma researchers and patient activists around the world use CureHunter every day.
Realize the full power of the drug-disease research graph!


Choose Username:
Email:
Password:
Verify Password:
Enter Code Shown: