RESUMO
Background: In the care of the facial paralysis (FP) patient, outcomes have historically focused on facial function rather than the psychosocial burden of the disease state. Yet, FP patients often describe the impact of their disease on domains of psychosocial health. These patient concerns have motivated clinicians to formally recognize and treat nonfunctional sequelae of the disease. Dermal filler therapy (DFT) is a minimally invasive reversible procedure that can be used to treat facial asymmetry and improve psychosocial well-being in FP patients. However, there are no data describing outcomes of DFT in FP-related facial asymmetry. Therefore, we sought to formally characterize FP patients' facial symmetry and psychosocial well-being before and after DFT. Methods: FP patients presenting for DFT at a tertiary academic medical center were prospectively interviewed. Patients completed the validated FACE-Q for Appearance-Related Psychosocial Distress instrument. Self-reported facial symmetry scores were recorded. Patients were evaluated before and 2 weeks after DFT. Statistical analysis was performed on R software using paired sample t-tests. Results: Twenty FP patients completed DFT treatment and two surveys. The cohort was predominantly female (n = 19, 95%) with an average age of 54 years. After a single treatment of DFT averaging 2.3 mL, patients had significant improvement in facial symmetry and psychosocial well-being. Patients felt particular improvement in self-confidence and emotional expression (p < 0.0001 for all stated comparisons). Conclusion: FP of varying etiologies is associated with significant functional, psychosocial, and quality-of-life impairments. This is the first prospective study to demonstrate statistically significant improvements in facial symmetry and psychosocial well-being after a single office-based treatment of dermal filler. In addition, our study's emphasis on psychosocial health instruments reflects an increased awareness of this important domain in the care of the FP patient.
RESUMO
Although basal cell carcinoma (BCC) rarely metastasizes and has a cure rate >95% when diagnosed early in its course, BCC causes significant morbidity and presents an enormous burden to the healthcare system worldwide. Patients who present late in the course of their disease are particularly challenging in that their treatment can be more complicated and less likely to be effective than had they presented earlier. Given the high prevalence of this malignancy and the morbidity associated with a late presentation, healthcare professionals should be familiar with the consequences of neglected BCCs, as well as their management after presentation. Knowledge of patient risk characteristics may allow earlier engagement and diagnosis of patients, before more significant morbidity occurs.
