Maxillofacial oncology care unit: a safe and cost effective modality to Deliver quality care

Objectives: The present article aims to study the need and efficacy of maxillofacial onco high
dependency unit after major head and neck surgeries. Methods: A retrospective study was done on
patients undergoing maxillofacial oncology surgeries from January 2014 to November 2016 at our
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Rama Dental College, Hospital and Research Center,
Uttar Pradesh, India. Results: A total of 182 major operations were done over the period of two and a
half years. The patient’s age ranged from 16 to 90 years, with a mean of 50.89 years. The male to
female rato was 4:1. Eighty two (45%) had composite major resection with flap reconstruction,
twenty six (14.2%) had hemi/total thyroidectomies, sixteen (8.79%) had superficial/total
parotidectomies, thirty eight (20.87%) had glossectomies with neck dissections, six (3.29%) had
undergone tracheostomies and twelve (6.59%) had isolated RND for unknown 1° neck nodes. There
were 2 deaths (1.09%). Conclusion: we conclude that a specialized head and neck unit is more
appropriate than ICU for selected cases, in better management and optimal care of the patient in
preventing major post-operative complications and allowing early discharge, thus reducing the overall
cost of major surgeries.