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Comparison of swallowing disorder in patients with tongue cancer undergoing reconstruction with either a radial forearm free flap or a submental island flap

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Abstract

Purpose

In this study, the swallowing status of patients with tongue cancer undergone tongue reconstruction using radial forearm free flaps (RFFF) and submental flaps were compared.

Methods

A total of 26 patients with tongue cancer undergone tongue resection were randomly treated by tongue reconstruction with either submental flap or RFFF approach. Swallowing status of the patients was investigated using fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) by measurement of pharyngeal residue and penetration scales.

Results

The pharyngeal residue scale in vallecula and pyriform sinus and the average of vallecula and pyriform sinus on days 10 and 30 post-operation as well as penetration scale at the same time showed no significant difference between two groups. However, the time to start oral feeding was significantly reduced in the submental group compared to the free flap group (P = 0.031). A positive Pearson correlation was found between the size of oral tongue and base of tongue resection and some of swallowing parameters.

Conclusion

Since there was no significant difference between submental and free flap respected to swallowing disorder, the submental flap is prior to free flap due to lower cost and hospitalization and less complication after tongue reconstruction.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Otorhinolaryngology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Ebrahim Karimi, Zahrasadat Hashemi & Saeed Sohrabpour

  2. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, School of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran

    Zahrasadat Hashemi

  3. Shefa Neuroscience Research Center, Khatam Alanbia Hospital, Tehran, Iran

    Sayed Mostafa Modarres Mousavi

  4. Department of Nanobiotechnology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

    Sayed Mostafa Modarres Mousavi

  5. Department of Otolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Jaleh Yousefi

Authors
  1. Ebrahim Karimi
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  2. Zahrasadat Hashemi
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  3. Saeed Sohrabpour
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  4. Sayed Mostafa Modarres Mousavi
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  5. Jaleh Yousefi
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Zahrasadat Hashemi or Sayed Mostafa Modarres Mousavi.

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Ethics approval

This study was approved by the institutional ethical committee of the Department of otorhinolaryngology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (approval code: IR.TUMS.MEDICINE.REC.1398.205).

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All patients wrote inform consent.

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Karimi, E., Hashemi, Z., Sohrabpour, S. et al. Comparison of swallowing disorder in patients with tongue cancer undergoing reconstruction with either a radial forearm free flap or a submental island flap. Oral Maxillofac Surg 28, 125–130 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10006-023-01137-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10006-023-01137-7

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