Re: Re: Patients experience of temporary tracheostomy after microvascular reconstruction for cancer of the head and neck

Coyle et al1 raise an important issue in their letter in response to our recent paper.2 It is essential to include patient-reported outcomes (PRO) when decisions are made. This supports informed consent in situations when various options are to be considered. When there is a balance of risks, it is essential to explain them in terms that the patient and carer understand, and PRO should also shape protocols of care. Unfortunately, in the two papers published in 2012 and 2013 by Coyle et al1,3 there are no such PRO data.

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