A glossectomy is surgical removal of the tongue. The surgery may be:
- Partial- removal of a part of the tongue.
- Semi-one side of the tongue is removed.
- Total- removal of the entire tongue.
Causes :
This surgery is used to treat cancer of the tongue when other treatments have not been successful.
Diagnosis:
If the biopsy shows that cancer is present, a complete physical examination of the patient’s head and neck is performed before surgery. The patient will meet with a treatment team before getting admitted to the hospital so they can answer questions and explain the treatment plan.
Surgical Procedure :
Glossectomies are always performed under general anesthesia. A partial glossectomy is a relatively simple procedure. If the hole left by the removal of the tumor is small, it is commonly repaired by stitching the tongue immediately or by using a small skin graft. If the glossectomy is wider, care is taken to repair the tongue so as to keep its mobility. A mutual approach is to use a skin piece taken from the wrist along with the blood vessels that supply it. This type of graft is called a radial forearm free flap. The flap is inserted into the hole in the tongue. This procedure needs a highly skilled surgeon who is able to connect very small arteries. The complete removal of the tongue called a total glossectomy is hardly performed.
Possible Complications:
Complications associated with this surgery includes,
- Bleeding from the tongue
- Difficulty in swallowing.
- Tongue swelling
- Infection
Average Recovery Period: Average recovery period of glossectomy -1 to 4 weeks
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