Function after a maxillectomy reconstructed with an obturator

Patients are after a maxillectomy often reconstructed with a prosthetic
obturator. This is a simple and effective way to fill up the defect that exists
after tumorablative surgery and to prevent problems with eating and speaking.
There is relatively little literature about the function after such a
reconstruction. Some small studies with confined patient groups show that
function is well recovererd after surgery, but extent of the resection
influences the functional result.
Nowadays, there is a second curative therapy modality for patients with head
and neck cancer, namely organsparing therapy, chemoradiation. Inoperable tumors
are being treated with curative chemoradiation, but some patients will be
advised primary chemoradiation if the tumor is so large that after extensive
surgery a big functional loss may be expected. This is called functional
inoperability.
In order to make a careful patient selection for different treatment options,
and to be able to provide meaningful preoperative patient counselling about the
expected postoperative result after a maxillectomie, we aim at evaluating
functionality after a maxillectomy and prosthetic rehabilitation. The function
will be related to the extent of resection, dentition and a history of probable
adjuvant radiotherapy, in order to find significant anatomic and preoperatively
known patient-bound factors that deteriorate function, namely mastication,
nasalance, trismus and quality of life.

Evaluation of function of maxillectomy patients after prosthetic obturation,
related to the extent of the defect.

Retrospective cohort study

Burden for participating patients is an extra visit to the Antoni van
Leeuwenhoek Hospital, once only, lasting 30 minutes. There is no extra risk
involved.