Tongue Function and Articulation
Keywords:
glossectomy,
articulation disorders,
swallowing disorders,
palatal augmentation prosthesis,
speech therapy
1997 Volume 38 Issue 4 Pages 390-395
Details
1997 Volume 38 Issue 4 Pages 390-395
Speech and swallowing performance were examined in a patient who had undergone extensive surgical resection of the tongue including the oral floor.
Reconstruction had been performed using the pectoralis major myocutaneous island flap. In a test on 100 Japanese monosyllables, speech intelligibility improved from 30% to 40% after use of a palatal augmentation prosthesis.
The treatment is still not deemed practical for everyday life, however. This paper describes some general aspects of speech and swallowing therapy after a glossectomy.
