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Quality of life after free flap surgery for cancer of the head and neck in patients with or without postoperative complications

  • Head & Neck
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Abstract

Background

Despite advances in surgical techniques, postoperative complications are frequent after free flap surgery for cancer of the head and neck. The present study assessed quality of life (QOL) in patients with and without postoperative complications.

Methods

QOL was evaluated using RAND-36, EORTC-C30 and H&N-35, and UW-QOL questionnaires.

Results

Of 53 assessed patients, 29 (54.7%) had at least one complication. Those with medical complications (n = 12, 22.6%) had significantly lower QOL in all domains of RAND-36 except emotional well-being. They also reported lower scores in EORTC-C30 domains of financial difficulties, pain, and insomnia and UW-QOL domains of pain, activity, and recreation. The QOL for patients without complications was comparable to the general population.

Conclusion

QOL after free flap surgery for cancer of the head and neck is reduced in patients with postoperative medical complications.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Mirkka Jylhä, RN, Ms. Nina Kimolin, Sinikka Sälkiö RN and Michael Spalding, M.D., Ph.D. for their kind assistance during the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Group of Surgery, Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Division of Intensive Care, Oulu University Hospital, Medical Research Center, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

    Sanna Lahtinen, Tero Ala-Kokko, Päivi Laurila & Janne H. Liisanantti

  2. Research Group of Surgery, Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care and Department of Surgery, Oulu University Hospital, Medical Research Center, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

    Sanna Lahtinen, Päivi Laurila & Janne H. Liisanantti

  3. PEDEGO Research Unit, Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck, Oulu University Hospital, Medical Research Center, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

    Petri Koivunen

  4. Division of Operative Care, Oulu University Hospital, Medical Research Center, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

    Outi Kaarela

  5. Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Oulu University Hospital, P.O. Box 21, 90029, Oulu, Finland

    Sanna Lahtinen

Authors
  1. Sanna Lahtinen
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  2. Petri Koivunen
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  3. Tero Ala-Kokko
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  4. Päivi Laurila
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  5. Outi Kaarela
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  6. Janne H. Liisanantti
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sanna Lahtinen.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. The study was approved by the hospital administration (239/2016) and local ethics committee (The Regional Ethics Committee of the Northern Ostrobothnia Hospital 95/2016).

Informed consent

Written informed consent was obtained from all individual participants includes in the study.

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Lahtinen, S., Koivunen, P., Ala-Kokko, T. et al. Quality of life after free flap surgery for cancer of the head and neck in patients with or without postoperative complications. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 275, 2575–2584 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-018-5103-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-018-5103-4

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