Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-d8cs5 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-01-09T12:12:09.172Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A technique of tongue reconstruction following near-total glossectomy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

Malcolm S. Robertson ,
Jeffrey M. Robinson  and
Ruth M. Horsfall
Malcolm S. Robertson*
Affiliation:
Surgeon
Jeffrey M. Robinson
Affiliation:
Registrar
Ruth M. Horsfall
Affiliation:
Chief Speech Therapist
*
‘Harley’, 137 Cambridge Terrace, Christchurch, 1, New Zealand.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Total glossectomy is the most crippling of all oral cavity resections. Speech problems are unavoidable and post-operative aspiration is often severe. Two patients are presented who have had tongue reconstructions following near-total glossectomies. In each case a quilted, split-skin grafted pectoralis major muscle flap was used. The speech and swallowing results of these two patients are compared with two patients who underwent a hemiglossectomy and total glossectomy respectively without tongue reconstruction. Only if the suprahyoid and extrinsic tongue muscles are preserved can an active oral phase of swallowing and usable speech be regained by tongue reconstruction.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 101 , Issue 3 , March 1987 , pp. 260 - 265
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1987

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Biller, H. F., Lawson, W. and Back, S. M. (1983) Total glossectomy: A technique of reconstruction eliminating laryngectomy. Archives of Otolaryngology, 109: 69–73.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Conley, J. and Sachs, M. E. (1982) The new tongue. Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, 90: 58–68.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Doty, R. W. and Bosma, J. F. (1956) An electromyographic analysis of reflex deglutition. Journal of Neurophysiology, 19: 44.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Harrison, D. H. (1983) The questionable value of total glossectomy. Head and Neck Surgery, 6: 632–638.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Leonard, R. and Gills, R. (1982) Effects of a prosthetic tongue on vowel intelligibility and food management in a patient with total glossectomy. Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders, 47: 25–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moore, D. J. (1972) Glossectomy rehabilitation by mandibular tongue prosthesis. Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry, 28: 429–433.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Robertson, M. S. and Robinson, J. M. (1984) Immediate pharyngoesophageal reconstruction: Use of a quilted skin-grafted pectoralis major muscle flap. Archives of Otolaryngology, 110: 386–387.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Schuller, D. E. (1983) Pectoralis major myocutaneous flap in head and neck cancer reconstruction. Archives of Otolaryngology, 109: 185–189.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shelton, R. L., Bosma, J. F. and Sheets, B. V. (1960) Tongue, hyoid and larynx displacement in swallow and phonation. Journal of Applied Physiology, 15: 283–288.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Whillis, J. (1946) Movements of the tongue in swallowing. Journal of Anatomy, 80: 115–116.Google ScholarPubMed
Yorkston, K. M. and Benkelman, D. R. (1981) Assessment of intelligibility of dysarthric speech. C. C. Publications Incorporated.Google Scholar