Background: A patient's health-related quality of life can be significantly impacted by facial scarring and disfigurement. Facial soft-tissue reconstruction should aim to improve this, with outcomes measured from the patient's perspective using patient-reported outcome measures. This systematic review identifies patient-reported outcome measures for soft-tissue facial reconstruction and appraises their methodologic and psychometric properties using up-to-date methods.
Methods: A systematic search of the MEDLINE, Embase, PsychINFO, and Cochrane databases was performed. Identified patient-reported outcome measures were assessed using the updated Consensus-Based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments checklist. Psychometric properties were also assessed and a modified Grading of Recommendation Assessment, Development and Evaluation analysis was performed to aid in recommendations for future questionnaire use.
Results: Thirty-four studies covering nine patient-reported outcome measures were included. Methodologic quality and psychometric evidence were variable. FACE-Q, Skin Cancer Index, Patient Outcome of Surgery-Head/Neck, and the Derriford Appearance Scale 59/24 all demonstrated high enough evidence to be recommended as having potential for inclusion in future studies.
Conclusions: This is the first systematic review to identify and critically appraise patient-reported outcome measures for soft-tissue facial reconstruction using internationally accepted criteria. Four questionnaires were deemed to have adequate levels of methodologic and psychometric evidence, although further studies should be conducted before they are used routinely in patients undergoing facial reconstruction. Through the use of psychometrically well-validated questionnaires, it is hoped that patients' concerns can be truly appreciated, the level of care improved, and the quality of reconstructive options offered advanced.