Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39949108›Full record

ArticleThe Annals of otology, rhinology, and laryngology2025

Assessing Patient-Reported Outcomes: A Mixed Methods Qualitative Comparison Between Obturator and Surgically Reconstructed Maxillectomy Patients.

Ala Almanaseer, Cecilia Dong, Freeman Paczkowski, Francisco Laxague, S Danielle Macneil, Anthony C Nichols, John Yoo, Kevin Fung, Cecilia Aragon, Adrian Mendez

Abstract readComparative Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in The Annals of otology, rhinology, and laryngology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Ala AlmanaseerSchulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
Cecilia DongSchulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
Freeman PaczkowskiSchulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.ORCID 0009-0001-5580-6920
Francisco LaxagueSchulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
S Danielle MacneilSchulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
Anthony C NicholsSchulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
John YooSchulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
Kevin FungSchulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
Cecilia AragonSchulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
Adrian MendezSchulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-9202-5875

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesCancers of the maxillary region are often treated surgically with a maxillectomy followed by rehabilitation involving surgical reconstruction or obturator insertion to improve functional outcomes. However, there is a lack of consensus regarding the specific indications for either rehabilitation method. The objective of this study was to identify unique functional domains for maxillectomy patients who underwent surgical reconstruction or obturator insertion post-op to provide standardized data that can inform selection of either method.

methodsThis mixed-methods qualitative research was conducted from January 2020 to June 2022 at London Health Sciences Centre, a tertiary care center in London, Ontario, Canada. Phase I included open-ended patient interviews through grounded theory, while phase II incorporated focus groups through the Delphi technique. Phase I identified functional domains of interest, which were further refined based on importance to patients in phase II. Inclusion criteria consisted of adults, 18 years or older who underwent maxillectomy surgery for head and neck cancer.

resultsA total of 22 patients were included in phase I and 8 patients were included in phase II. The top 4 functional domains that affected patients regardless of rehabilitation method were eating difficulties, speaking difficulties, social discomfort with public eating, and numbness. The top 4 unique functional domains identified for the surgical group were dry mouth, trismus, chewing difficulties, and eye-related symptoms. The top 4 unique functional domains for the obturator group were obturator discomfort, nasal regurgitation, weight loss, and voice changes.

conclusionsThis study identified functional domains affecting maxillectomy patients, which can be used to inform decisions regarding selection of rehabilitation method in clinical practice. This data can also in the future to create the first patient-reported outcomes instrument for this patient population.

Indexed as

MaxillaMaxillary NeoplasmsPalatal ObturatorsPatient Reported Outcome MeasuresPlastic Surgery ProceduresAdultAgedFemaleFocus GroupsHumansMaleMiddle AgedOntarioQualitative Researchfunctional domainsmaxillectomyobturator insertionpatient-reported-outcomesrehabilitationsurgical reconstruction

Identifiers

PMID39949108
PMCPMC12075886

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.