Total lymphocyte count and wound dehiscence of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma

Nutritional status is a sensitive indicator of health. There is not a single parameter that serve as the only and best parameter to evaluate malnourished patients or patients with risk for malnutrition. Patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma were a focus of concern for nutritional impairment. Nutritional impairment is a common phenomenon among the patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma. But it is often ignored in treatments and follow-up care. The objective of the study was to assess relationship between lymphocyte and wound dehiscence of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma. Sixty oral squamous cell carcinoma patients were histologically confirmed. This study was descriptive and cross-sectional study. All patients were studied and followed until discharge from hospital. Surgery of primary lesion with neck dissection were performed for all patients under general anesthesia. The mean age was 47.6 ± 10.8 years in group I, 49.7 ± 8.6 years in group II. Regarding the total lymphocyte count of the patients, it was found that 32 (65.3%) patients had normal nutrition in group I and 5 (45.5%) moderate malnutrition in group I. The mean total lymphocyte count was found 1020.0 ± 819.1 mm3 in group I, 1736.0 ± 474.8 mm3 in group II. The mean total lymphocyte count was statistically significant (p<0.05) between the two groups