Advanced mandibular reconstruction with fibular free flap and alloplastic TMJ prosthesis with digital planning

Table 2 Perioperative median EORTC QLQ-H&N-35 scores, calculated MCID, and heat map analysis

Value	Preoperative	Postoperative	Temporal QOL Change/MCID^∤
Value	Median score	Median score	Relative change^⨎
Pain	36.7	16.7	2.0^→
Swallow	31.7	35.0	−0.3^⥈
Teeth	60.0	26.7	3.3^⟹
Mouth opening	80.0	46.7	3.3^⟹
Dry mouth	80.0	60.0	2.0^→
Sticky saliva	40.0	20.0	2.0^→
Senses	26.7	16.7	1.0^⇢
Coughing	26.7	33.3	−0.7^⥈
Felt Ill	26.7	26.7	0.0^⥈
Speech	35.6	40.0	−0.4^⥈
Social eating	53.3	50.0	0.3^⥈
Contact	33.3	28.0	0.5^⥈
Sexuality	33.3	37.5	−0.4^⥈
Pain killers	20.0	26.7	−0.7^⥈
Nutritional supplementation	20.0	20.0	0.0^⥈
Feeding tube	6.7	0.0	0.7^⥈
Weight loss	20.0	26.7	−0.7^⥈
Weight gain	0.0	0.0	0.0^⥈

Heat map spectrum
⟸	←	⇠	⥈	⇢	→	⟹
≤ −3	−2	−1	0	1	2	≥ 3
Negative clinically significant change (deterioation in function)			No clinically significant change	Positive clinically significant change (improvement in function)

^∤Minimal clinically important difference equals 10% of maximal instrument score
⨎ Heat map: for each domain, the relative QOL difference was calculated as the absolute difference between quality-of-life score preoperatively and quality of life score postoperatively, divided by the MCID. Our study refers to differences in quality of life constituting 10 to 19.9% of the maximal instrument score as minimal (ratio 1.00–1.99), 20 to 29.9% differences as moderate ratio (2.00–2.99), and ≥ 30% differences as large clinically important differences (ratio ≥ 3.00. To ease interpretation, ratios that designate improvements in function have been assigned positive values whereas negative values designate deterioration. Adapted from Michaelsen et al. Clinically important. [31]

ISSN: 1916-0216