title: Pleomorphic adenoma of base of tongue: is midline mandibulotomy necessary for approaching benign base tongue lesions?
abstract: Objective. To report a rare presentation of pleomorphic adenoma, at base tongue, excised surgically by a transoral midline glossotomy technique without mandibulotomy. Case Report. Pleomorphic adenoma is a benign tumor of the salivary gland found rarely in the base of tongue. Surgery is the definitive treatment for this tumor, and different approaches have been mentioned in the literature. In our case we surgically excised the tumor by a transoral midline glossotomy technique without mandibulotomy where we combined the cosmetic advantage of transoral technique and the exposure advantage of a glossotomy technique. Discussion. We discuss the different approaches to oropharynx, their advantages and disadvantages. Primary transoral approach provides better cosmesis but less exposure whereas median labiomandibuloglossotomy approach provides more exposure but is cosmetically unacceptable. Conclusion. A transoral midline glossotomy approach without mandibulotomy provides wide exposure with acceptable cosmesis.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India.
authors.forename: Sandeep
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bansal
authors.forename: Gopika
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kalsotra
authors.forename: Abdul Wadood
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Mohammed
authors.forename: Amanjit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bahl
authors.forename: Ashok K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Gupta