Assessment of quality of life in giant ameloblastoma adolescent patients who have had mandible defects reconstructed with a free fibula flap

BACKGROUND: The reconstruction of mandibular defects after giant ameloblastoma resection is one of the most challenging problems facing reconstructive surgeons. Mandibular resection has been associated with a poor quality of life (QOL), particularly in adolescent patients reconstructed with a free fibula flap. This study aims to evaluate QOL outcomes in adolescent patients who have had mandibular resections of giant ameloblastoma and reconstruction with a free fibula flap and to collect information about their socio-cultural situation. METHODS: The present study assessed 45 adolescent patients who had undergone immediate mandible reconstruction with a free fibula flap for faint ameloblastoma using University of Washington Quality of Life (UW-QOL) and 14-item Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) questionnaires. RESULTS: Thirty-five of the 54 questionnaires were returned (64.81%). In the UW-QOL, of the twelve disease-specific domains, the best three scores from the patients related to pain, shoulder and appearance and the worst three scores related to chewing, anxiety and saliva. In the OHIP-14, the lowest-scoring domain was handicap, followed by physical pain and social disability. CONCLUSIONS: Mandibular reconstruction with a free fibular flap significantly influenced the adolescent patients’ QOL. Adolescent patients pay more attention to postoperative facial appearance; this should be considered in surgical planning.