Abstract

Objective: The surgical treatment of benign locally invasive lesions of the mandible can have deleterious effects on a patient’s quality of life (QOL). To evaluate and compare the QOL in two cohort groups of patients who underwent mandibular resection for benign locally invasive lesions of the mandible. Methods: This was a seven year prospective study using the modified University of Washington Quality of life (UW-QOL) Questionnaire, version 4. The two cohorts studied were those that were rehabilitated, and those not rehabilitated. The questionnaire was administered to the patients at 18 months after marginal mandibular and segmental mandibular resections respectively. Statistical analysis was performed using EPI INFO 7 software package and level of significance was set at p<0.05. Results: This showed that 71/87 subjects who had resections responded; 34 marginal mandibular, and 37 segmental mandibular were studied. The socio-demographic variables presented no statistically significant relationship regardless of the status of rehabilitation. Most patients without rehabilitation had a lower QOL score for functional daily activities like chewing, speech and psychological effects of low mood and anxiety compared with the rehabilitated group; and that socio-economic class of the patients was the best predictor of better QOL. Conclusion: The major concerns of patients who have undergone mandibular resection were chewing ability, speech, appearance, anxiety and low mood, and these concerns were expressed more in the non-rehabilitated. The trends and determinant of QOL observed should be used to decide targeted support in order to assist the patients overcome their deformities and disabilities.

Keywords: Mandibular resection; Quality of life; Cohort study; Outcome assessment