A STUDY OF POSTOPERATIVE ORAL FUNCTIONS AFTER RECONSTRUCTION WITH FLAPS

1998 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 08307016
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Surgical dentistry
• Research Institution: Showa University
• Principal Investigator: MICHI Ken-ichi Showa University, Dental faculty, Professor, 歯学部・第1口腔外科, 教授 (40013891)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): IMAI Satoko Showa University, Dental faculty, Assistant Professor, 歯学部・第1口腔外科, 講師 (60260907) ; TAKAHASHI Kohji Showa University, Dental faculty, Assistant Professor, 歯学部・第1口腔外科, 講師 (40197140) ; MICHIWAKI Yukihiro Showa University, Dental faculty, Assistant Professor, 歯学部・第1口腔外科, 講師 (40157540) ; OHNO Kohsuke Showa University, Dental faculty, Associate Professor, 歯学部・第1口腔外科, 助教授 (30112725) ; MATSUI Yoshiro Showa University, Dental faculty, Assistant Professor (10181687)
• Project Period (FY): 1996 – 1998
• Keywords: carcinoma of oral cavity / rehabilitation / postoperative oral functions / articulatory function / masticatory function / swallowing function / multicenter study / questionnaire survey

Research Abstract

1. Common criteria were established to evaluate postoperative oral functions.
Common criteria were established in the present study to evaluate postoperative oral functions. In addition to these criteria, we also prepared a questionnaire for patients and a protocol that included background factors and aruanual to test oral functions.
2. We surveryed and analyzed postoperative functions.
1) Analysis of Subjects :
Ninety-eight subjects were examined. The most commonly resected area were the tongue and the floor of the month. Dermal flap, usually taken from theforearm, were more frequently used thanwere mnusculocutaneous flaps.
2) Postoperative oral functions :
(1) Articulatory function : Speech intelligibility, conversation intelligibility, and questionnaire data suggested that articulatory function was better after reconstruction with clermal flaps that after reconstruction with musculocutaneous flaps for patients who undergone partial glossectomy, hemiglossectomy of the mobile part of the tongue, or henmiglossectomny of the entire tongue in the lateral type.
(2) Masticatory function : With the exception of the color-developing chewing gum method used in patients after heiniglossectomy of the entire tongue, objective evaluations after glossectomy indicated that inasticatory function was better after reconstruction with dermal flaps than after reconstruction with musculocutaneous flaps.
(3) Swallowing function : Swallowing function was better after reconstruction with dernial flaps than after reconstruction with niusculocutaneous flaps in patients who had undergone partial glossectomy or henmiglossectomy of the mobile part of the tongue but was better after reconstruction with inusculocutaneous flaps in patients who had undergone hemiglossectomy.
This study has clarified the effect of the extent of resection and the method of reconstruction on postoperative functions in patients who have undergone glossectomy (partial glossectomy to heiniglossectouimy of the entire tongue).