Applying the 'end-state comfort' hypothesis of Rosenbaum et al. [J Exp Psych Learn Mem Cogn 1992;18:1058; Acta Psychol (Amst) 1996;94:59] to tongue motion provides evidence of long-distance subphonemic planning in speech. Speakers' tongue postures may anticipate upcoming speech up to three segments, two syllables, and a morpheme or word boundary later. We used M-mode ultrasound imaging to measu...

The radial forearm free flap (RFFF) is a thin and pliable tissue with many advantages for tongue reconstruction. However, tongues reconstructed with RFFF occasionally need revision surgery because inadequate defect measurement at primary surgery can lead to bulkiness and limited movement of reconstructed tongue. In this case, the patient underwent partial glossectomy and RFFF reconstruction for...

BACKGROUND Successful tongue reconstruction after total glossectomy for advanced tongue or base of tongue cancer should restore swallowing, speech function, and cosmesis. METHODS The anterior lateral thigh flap sensitive myocutaneous (ALTF) with vastus lateralis muscle was used to reconstruct the oral defect in a patient undergoing total glossectomy with laryngeal preservation for T4 tongue c...

OBJECTIVES To quantify functional and other outcomes after major resection and fasciocutaneous free-flap reconstruction of the tongue and floor of mouth, and to describe reconstructive technique. DESIGN A hypothesis-generating, retrospective cohort study of 43 patients who underwent, at minimum, a hemiglossectomy and resection of the floor of the mouth for oral cancer followed by fasciocutane...

BACKGROUND The medial sural artery perforator (MSAP) flap is becoming a popular strategy for reconstructing intraoral defects. We present a case in which no MSAPs were present, however, a perforator-based calf flap was successfully raised on the sural artery and used for tongue reconstruction. A corresponding anatomic study was undertaken to establish if this finding was reproducible. METHODS...

We describe our experience in tongue reconstruction using the transverse gracilis myocutaneous (TMG) free flap after major demolitive surgery for advanced cancer. This technique was used in 10 patients: seven underwent total glossectomy and three partial glossectomy. In eight patients we performed motor reinnervation attempting to maintain muscular trophism and gain long-term volumetric stabili...

BACKGROUND Head and neck oncologists are often confronted with the difficult challenge of balancing cancer cure with the preservation of function when deciding the patient's best treatment protocol. This task is especially difficult in cancer of the base of tongue. The purpose of this manuscript is to describe the beavertail modification of the radial forearm-free flap in base of tongue reconst...

Oroantral communication is a pathological communication between the oral and antral cavities. When oroantral communication is left open, epithelial tissue may develop namely oroantral fistula. The primary purpose is to close the communication and prevent sinusitis. OAF closures can be achieved using different flaps. The most widely employed flaps are vestibular flap, palatal flap and buccal fat...

BACKGROUND This study investigated the quality of life of Chinese patients with tongue cancer who had undergone immediate flap reconstruction surgery. In addition, we compared 2 groups of patients: those who had received radial forearm free flap (RFFF) surgery and others who had received pectoralis major myocutaneous flap (PMMF) surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS Patients who received RFFF or PMMF...

SURGICAL TECHNIQUE The operation was performed with the patient under general anaesthesia. After routine intra and extra oral sterile preparation, stula edges were injected with 2% lignocaine and 1:200,000 adrenaline for hemostasis and for ease of dissection (Figure1). Incision was made around the stulous tract (Figure 2). The nasal mucosal layer was dissected and raised along with the hinge ...