Abstract

PURPOSE
The present study aimed to measure postsurgical swallowing function in patients 5 years after the surgical treatment of tongue carcinoma.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
Using a retrospective cohort study design, the investigators enrolled postsurgical patients treated for tongue carcinomas in Hokkaido University Hospital. The primary outcome variable was oropharyngeal swallow efficiency (OPSE) determined by videofluoroscopic evaluation, and OPSE at follow-up was compared with that at discharge. Other variables included current nutritional status (body mass index, serum albumin), dietary intake, self-rating of current swallowing function, and occurrence of pneumonia. Statistical analysis used the paired t test and the Spearman rank correlation.
RESULTS
Swallowing function was assessed in 20 patients (11 men and 9 women) who underwent the surgical treatment of tongue carcinomas; the median age was 70 years (range, 56 to 90 yrs). The mean OPSE values for liquid and paste at follow-up were 26.6 ± 21.2 and 21.9 ± 22.5, respectively. The mean values for the body mass index and serum albumin at presentation were 22.2 ± 3.4 kg/m(2) and 4.5 ± 0.3 g/dL, respectively. All patients had a full oral intake of foods, with a mean self-rated value of 6.4 ± 2.5, a value acceptable to the patients. Pneumonia requiring hospitalization did not occur in these patients.
CONCLUSIONS
The long-term follow-up of patients after the surgical treatment of tongue carcinomas showed acceptable levels of oral function and nutritional status despite objective measurements of poor swallowing efficiency assessed using videofluoroscopy.

Links

Publisher Full Text

Authors

Tei K, Sakakibara N, Yamazaki Y, Ohiro Y, Ono M, Totsuka Y

Institution

Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan. teik@den.hokudai.ac.jp

Source

Journal of oral and maxillofacial surgery : official journal of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons 70:11 2012 Nov pg 2680-6

MeSH

Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Cohort Studies
Deglutition Disorders
Diet
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Glossectomy
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Nutritional Status
Photofluorography
Recovery of Function
Retrospective Studies
Statistics, Nonparametric
Tongue Neoplasms
Video Recording

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article

Language

eng

PubMed ID

22520569