Articulatory function in patients receiving glossectomy followed by reconstruction with a recto-abdominal myocutaneous free flap

Abstract

Postoperative articulatory functions of patients with tongue cancer have been improved by reconstructive surgery with a radial forearm or recto-abdominal myocutaneous free flap. We examined the postoperative articulatory functions of 10 patients who received reconstruction with a recto-abdominal myocutaneous free flap after glossectomy. The functions were investigated by standardized tests, i. e. a quentionnaires, the 100 Japanese monosyllable speech intelligibility test and a single-word intelligibility test. A confusion matrix was obtained from the results of the monosyllable test. On the basis of resection sites, the present cases were divided into two types: an anterior type and a lateral type. The results are summarized as follows. There was no significant difference in the results of the quentionnareis between the two types. The mean score of the 100 Japanese monosyllable speech intelligibility test in cases of the anterior type was 48% and in those of the lateral type it was 62%. The mean score of the single-word intellibibility test in cases of the anterior type was 75% and in those of the lateral type it was 83%. In cases of the anterior type, dental and alveolar sounds were often confused with fricatives, whereas in the lateral type, velars sounds were often confused with affricates or flaps. These results suggest that our classification based on resection site was useful for investigating postoperative articulatory functions after partial glossectomy.