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Research

Our unit is actively involved in research/audit and is 1 of 10 units fully engaged in the QOMS (Quality Outcomes in Oral and Maxillo Facial Surgery) pilot project.  We have a departmental data coordinator for this purpose.  We have published multiple papers on risk-adjustment algorithms that facilitate meaningful audit of outcomes.  The algorithms currently sit in the Head and Neck and Reconstruction national database.

We are actively collecting Quality of Life data and functional status relating to Speech and Swallow.  We have established a Quality of Life clinic to capture this post-treatment data and highlight ongoing needs that may be amenable to surgical/ medical/ psychological intervention. We have an active collaboration with the Computer Science department at the University of Kent, applying Machine Learning approaches to Head & Neck Datasets.

On behalf of QOMS we are developing a new predictive algorithm for positivity of surgical margins after excision of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, using data from multiple NHS treatment centres.  We are exploring an international collaboration with multiple European Head and Neck departments to validate these algorithms within a bigger project, financed by the European Grant (HORIZON-HLTH-2021-DISEASE-04-04). 

 

Recent Papers

  • Risk adjustment in audit of outcome after head and neck surgery applied to cumulative sum chart methodology to monitor of free flap failure.  Tighe DF, McMahon J, Ho M, Sassoon I. Front Oral Maxillofac Med 2021.
  • Machine learning methods applied to audit of surgical outcomes after treatment for cancer of the head and neck. Tighe D, Lewis-Morris T, Freitas A.Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2019 Oct;57(8):771-777. doi: 10.1016/j.bjoms.2019.05.026. Epub 2019 Jul 26.
  • Machine learning methods applied to audit of surgical margins after curative surgery for head and neck cancer.Tighe D, Fabris F, Freitas A. Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2021 Feb;59(2):209-216. doi: 10.1016/j.bjoms.2020.08.041. Epub 2020 Oct 8. 6.
  • Validating a risk stratification tool for audit of early outcome after operations for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Tighe D, Thomas AJ, Hills A, Quadros R. Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2019 Nov;57(9):873-879. doi: 10.1016/j.bjoms.2019.07.008. Epub 2019 Jul 26. 2.
  • Developing a risk stratification tool for audit of outcome after surgery for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.  Tighe DF, Thomas AJ, Sassoon I, Kinsman R, McGurk M.Head Neck. 2017 Jul;39(7):1357-1363. doi: 10.1002/hed.24769. Epub 2017 Mar 29.