Tongue reconstruction with free radial forearm flap after hemiglossectomy: a functional assessment.
Thirty-three patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the anteriolateral part of the tongue underwent a 50 percent resection of the tongue. The surgical defect was reconstructed with a microvascular radial forearm flap. All the flaps were especially designed to have a narrow waist, shaped like an omega in cross-section, thus allowing for a free tongue tip, and avoiding suturing the edge of the flap to the soft palate and tongue base. Sixteen patients were evaluated for swallowing and speech function at least 6 months following reconstruction. With this technique, the majority of the patients had nearly normal deglutition, although their speech was still unsatisfactory. However, the speech function in this series was better than that in other reported series.
Hsiao
Hung-Tao
HT
Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Mackay Memorial Hospital and Mackay Junior College of Nursing, Taipei, Taiwan.
Leu
Yi-Shing
YS
Lin
Chang-Ching
CC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000601:surgery*; D003679:Deglutition / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005542:Forearm / Q000098:blood supply; D005927:Glossectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013062:Speech Articulation Tests; D013065:Speech Intelligibility / Q000502:physiology; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome