Analysis of Determinants on Speech Function After Glossectomy

Sun, Jian; Weng, Yanqiu; Li, Jun; Wang, Guoming; Zhang, Zhiyuan

doi:10.1016/j.joms.2006.11.017

« Previous Next »Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Volume 65, Issue 10 , Pages 1944-1950, October 2007

Analysis of Determinants on Speech Function After Glossectomy

Jian Sun, MD, DDS
- Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 9th Affiliated Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
- Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr Sun: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 9th Affiliated Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, No. 639, Zhi Zao Ju Road, Shanghai, China
Yanqiu Weng, DDS
- Resident, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 9th Affiliated Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
Jun Li, DDS
- Assistant Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 9th Affiliated Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
Guoming Wang, MD, DDS
- Professor, Director of Speech Pathology Laboratory, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 9th Affiliated Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
Zhiyuan Zhang, MD, DDS
- Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 9th Affiliated Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.

Purpose

To determine which of the following factors—type of reconstruction, size of tumor, and site of excision—may influence speech intelligibility after glossectomy.

Materials and Methods

The speech intelligibilities of 27 tongue cancer patients who underwent glossectomy within the range of the hemitongue were investigated within 6 months after operation with a speech intelligibility test formed by 100 sensitive Chinese sounds. They were compared according to the following factors: type of reconstruction (forearm flap or adjacent flap); size of tumor (T1, T2, T3); and site of excision (anterior, middle, posterior, or hemi part).

Results

There was no significant difference in speech intelligibility between the forearm flap reconstructed group and adjacent flap reconstructed group (P > .05). There was a significant difference in the result between the T1 and T3 groups (P < .05). The speech intelligibilities of the patients with tumors in anterior tongue or hemitongue were significantly lower than those with tumor in the middle or posterior tongue (P < .05). Patients with preservation of the tip of the tongue or floor of the mouth had higher intelligibilities (P < .05).

Conclusion

For the patients after glossectomy within the range of hemitongue, except for the type of reconstruction, the tumor site or excision extent of the tongue followed by the tumor size may be key factors in determining the postoperative articulation intelligibility.