An audit of capacity for prosthetic rehabilitation after orofacial ablative surgeries in Nigerian tertiary health facilities.
Audit of post-orofacial ablative surgeries and prosthetic rehabilitation
Keywords:
Audit, Facial Ablative Surgery`, Prosthetics`Abstract
Background: The capacity for prosthodontic rehabilitation after orofacial surgeries in Nigeria has not been adequately reported.
Objectives: To describe the capacity for, and explore avenues for improving prosthodontic rehabilitation after ablative orofacial surgeries in Nigerian tertiary healthcare facilities.
Materials and Methods: This was an electronic questionnaire survey of single representative surgeons at public tertiary facilities. Frequencies and proportions were determined for closed-ended responses. Associations between categorical variables were determined with Fischer’s Exact Test, while thematic description characterized open-ended responses. The level of statistical significance was set at p?0.05
Results: Thirty-five institutions comprising 22 Federal Teaching Hospitals (FTH)s, 11 Federal Medical Centers (FMC)s and 2 State Specialist Hospitals (SSH)s were assessed. Among the centers evaluated, there were 6 (66.7%) with prosthodontists in the South-West, while the combined South-South/South-East zone has 3 (37.9%) centers. Northern Nigeria only had 2 (11.1%) centers with prosthodontists. There were prosthodontic laboratories in 33 (94.3%) of the centers. However, only 4 (12.2%) of these laboratories had facilities for implant retained prostheses and only 2 (11.1%) had facilities for computer-aided design and manufacture. There were regular pre-surgical prosthodontic consultations in 45% of the FTHs, and 53% level of the FMCs and SSHs combined. Themes from the open-ended questions included increase in workforce numbers and workforce empowerment. They also included improved inter-specialty communication and improved patient access.
Conclusion: There is a good capacity for basic prosthodontic rehabilitation after ablative surgery nationally. However, infrastructure for advanced treatments can be augmented. Capacity may be improved by increasing and empowering the workforce, and by improving interprofessional communication
