Abstract
＜Purpose＞ There have been very few reports in which systematic swallowing functional therapies were applied to postoperative oral cancer patients and their recovery process was precisely discussed．Therefore，we developed “Manual of Swallowing Functional Therapy” and used it in therapies to postoperative oral cancer patients．The purpose of this study is to clarify their recovery processes on contrast to resection areas．
＜Methods＞ 15 oral cancer patients who underwent operation in First Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department，School of Dentistry，Showa University were used as subjects of this study (Partial glossectomy： 4，Hemiglossectomy：2，Subtotal glossectomy： 1，Mouth floor resection：1，Mouth floor and mandible marginal resection：1，Partial mandible resection：4，Partial mandible and buccal mucosa resection：1，Partial pharyngeal and mandible resection：1)．Two or three weeks after operations，“Swallowing Function Test” was applied to the patients for selecting training items in “Swallowing Functional Therapy”．The selected items were done once a week，and recovery processes were checked once a month by “Swallowing Function Test”．In addition，“30ml water swallow test”，an interview about swallowing，and Videofluorography were also done．
＜Results＞ In patients' recovery process，we found features on contrast to resection areas．Partial glossectomy：Though their functional disorder was NOT severe，tongue functional training was useful．Hemiglossectomy： The item of “tongue lateral movement” was NOT achieved for a long period．Subtotal glossectomy： A variety of functional disorders were recovered after six months postoperative．Also，the item of “root of tongue elevation” was useful． Mouth floor resection： Recovered in one month．Mouth floor and mandible resection： Functional disorders remained for a long period．Partial mandible resection：Restriction of mandible and neck movement were remarkable．Partial mandible and buccal mucosa resection：Immediately after the operation，functional disorders of lips and cheeks were remarkable．But at last，the item of “tongue protrusion” was NOT achieved．Partial pharyngeal and mandible resection：The item of “Puffing out Cheeks” was NOT achieved remarkably．
＜Conclusion＞ Recovery processes (of postoperative oral cancer patients') of swallowing function were different on contrast to their resection areas．Therefore，“Swallowing Functional Therapy”，in which we can select training items systematically for each patients，might be useful．
