Psycho-oncological aspect of surgery in palliative care: our satisfactory experience using a V-Y island flap

Abstract

Conclusions: Our reconstruction method using a V-Y island flap was minimally invasive and yielded a satisfactory esthetic result without impairing the patient's postoperative quality of life (QOL). Objective: Malignant skin tumors of the head and neck often affect the patient's appearance and QOL. Therefore, surgery for terminally staged patients with malignant skin tumors may be a treatment of choice for surgeons in a palliative care team to improve and sustain the patient's QOL. Methods: We describe our experience of surgical treatment of a large primary malignant skin tumor in the head performed as part of palliative care in a 38-year-old woman in the terminal stage. We developed a V-Y island flap that did not result in postoperative alopecia. Results: After surgery, the patient did not have alopecia and her hair hid the scar. The patient and her family were greatly satisfied with the result. Although the surgery did not extend her life, it alleviated her depressed condition caused by the uncomfortable primary tumor.

Keywords::

• Head and neck
• quality of life
• terminal stage
• scalp reconstruction

Acknowledgment

The authors thank Hiroto Terashi (Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Kobe University) for his support of the clinical work and the publication of this paper.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.