Outcome Evaluation of Mandibular Pull-Through Approach for Glossectomies

AbstractPatients with advanced carcinoma tongue in the Indian subcontinent have an additional component of submucosal fibrosis (SMF) due to chewing of betel. We intend to evaluate   mandibular pull-through approach for total or near-total glossectomy and assessed its functional and survival outcome. Prospective study of 77 patients with carcinoma tongue, who underwent total or near-total glossectomy at our institute, were assessed retrospectively. All the patients who under went glossecomy through mandibular pull through approach with pedicled or free flap reconstruction were assessed for functional and survival outcomes. Of the 77 patients, 45 (58.44%) patients underwent total glossectomy, while 32 (41.55%) patients near-total glossectomy, 61 (79.22%) cases had operat ive time ≤ 30 min, 69 (89.61%) patients had margins of >  5 mm, and none of the margins were involved. Flaps were reconstructed with 42 (54.54%) PMMC, 24 (31.16%) FRAFF, and 11 (14.28%) ALT. Five (6.49%) patients had surgical site infections, 6 patients each had to undergo re-explorations and partial flap loss, 7 patients had oro-cutaneous fistula, whi le 53 (68.83%) patients had no complications/osteoradionecrosis. A total of 94% of patients underwent decannulation, 92% of patients got discharged, and 89% got NG tube removed within 21 POD. Forty patients had reasonably good speech. On the long-term follow-up, 9% of the patients developed local re currence and 11% of patients had regional/lymph...
Source: Indian Journal of Surgical Oncology - Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research