title: Swallowing function following extensive resection of oral or oropharyngeal cancer with laryngeal suspension and cricopharyngeal myotomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate factors that influence postoperative swallowing function in patients who underwent tongue and oropharynx resection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-two subjects who had undergone extensive resection of oral or oropharyngeal cancer between 1993 and 2005 participated in this study. All surgical procedures involved excision of the bilateral suprahyoid muscles or of >or=50% of the tongue base. Laryngeal suspension and cricopharyngeal myotomy were performed on all subjects. A multivariate analysis of the effects of extensive tongue and oropharynx resection on swallowing function was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 53 (85.5%) of the 62 subjects achieved independent oral intake and no longer required tube feeding. Six months after surgery, better eating capabilities had been attained by younger patients as compared with older patients; patients with less extensive tongue base resections; patients who had not undergone radiotherapy; and patients reconstructed with free flaps rather than pedicled flaps.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Age was found to be the most important factor in determining whether a patient could achieve independent oral intake after extensive oral or oropharyngeal resection. The main factors in determining the quality of diet attained by the patient were found to be age, the percentage of tongue base resection, and the method of postoperative reconstruction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan. yasushif@med.nagoya-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
authors.forename: Yasuhisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ando
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakashima
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003679:Deglutition / Q000502:physiology*; D049631:Esophageal Sphincter, Upper / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007830:Larynx / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013517:Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013536:Suture Techniques; D016896:Treatment Outcome