Tongue viability after bilateral lingual artery ligation and surgery for recurrent tongue-base cancer

Abstract

A 73-year-old man came to us with a second primary tumor of the tongue base. He had undergone a total laryngectomy, neck dissections, and radiation for squamous cell carcinoma of the glottis 25 years earlier. Surgery was performed, including a subtotal tongue-base resection and pectoralis myocutaneous flap reconstruction. Intraoperative findings confirmed tumor involvement of the left lingual artery and hypoglossal nerve, both of which were sacrificed. Dissection revealed an intact but apparently thrombosed right lingual artery, and this was verified by intraoperative Doppler evaluation. Postoperatively, the preserved oral tongue remained well perfused and viable, and tongue mobility was good. In patients who have undergone previous head and neck cancer resections, collateral blood supply to the tongue might develop if the flow of one or both of the lingual arteries is interrupted. This possibility can be fully evaluated by preoperative angiography, which might offer these patients the potential for tongue preservation.