Speech and Swallowing Outcomes Following Surgical Resection with Immediate Free Tissue Transfer Reconstruction for Advanced Osteoradionecrosis of the Mandible Following Radiation Treatment for Head and Neck Cancer

Despite recent advances in the radiation techniques used for the treatment of head and neck cancer (HNC) including intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), mandibular osteoradionecrosis (ORN) remains a significant complication. Advanced stage ORN is managed surgically with resection and immediate free tissue transfer reconstruction. An evaluation of the functional speech and swallowing outcomes was undertaken for patients undergoing surgical management of advanced ORN. We retrospectively reviewed consecutive patients, at a single, tertiary cancer centre, who underwent surgical resection for advanced Notani grade III ORN. Outcomes investigated included use and duration of tracheostomy and swallowing and speech status using Performance Status Scale for Head and Neck Cancer Normalcy of Diet (PSS-NOD) and Understandability of Speech (PSS-Speech) at baseline and 3 months following surgery. Ten patients underwent surgical resection with free tissue transfer reconstruction between January 2014 and December 2019. Two patients required supplemental nutrition via a gastrostomy at three months post surgery. As per the PSS-NOD data half of the patients’ (n = 5) diet remained stable (n = 2) or improved (n = 3) and half of the participants experienced a decline in diet (n = 5). The majority of patients had no speech difficulties at baseline (n = 8). The majority of patients’ speech remained stable (n = 8) with two patients experiencing a deterioration in speech clarity following surgery. Well-designed studies with robust, sensitive multidimensional dysphagia and communication assessments are required to fully understand the impact of surgical management of advanced ORN using resection with free tissue transfer reconstruction.