Elective tracheostomy scoring system for severe oral disease patients

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this research was to create a scoring system that provides comprehensive assessment of patients with oromaxillofacial cancer or odontogenic infection, and to statistically reevaluate the results in order to provide specific criteria for elective tracheostomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS All patients that had oral cancer surgery (group A) or odontogenic infection surgery (group B) during a period of 10 years (2003 to 2013) were subgrouped according to whether or not the patient received a tracheostomy. After a random sampling (group A: total of 56, group B: total of 60), evaulation procedures were observed based on the group classifications. For group A, four factors were evaluated: TNM stage, reconstruction methods, presence of pathologic findings on chest posterior-anterior (PA), and the number of systemic diseases. Scores were given to each item based on the scoring system suggested in this research and the scores were added together. Similarly, the sum score of group B was counted using 5 categories, including infection site, C-reactive protein level on first visit, age, presence of pathologic findings on chest PA, and number of systemic diseases. RESULTS The scoring system rendered from this research shows that there is a high correlation between the scores and TNM stage in oral cancer patients, or infection sites in odontogenic infection patients. However, no correlation between pathologic findings on chest PA could be found in either group. The results also indicated that for both groups, the hospital day increased with the tracheostomy score. The tracheostomy score cutoff value was 5 in oral cancer patients and 6 in odontogenic infection patients which was used for elective tracheostomy indication. CONCLUSION The elective tracheostomy score system suggested by this research is a method that considers both the surgical and general conditions of the patient, and can be very useful for managing patients with severe oral disease.