Study on the sensation of the reconstructed tongue using radial forearm free flap and the tongue after partial glossectomy

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the tongue sensation (warm, cold, tactile and thermal pain) of 22 postoperative tongue cancer patients. In 11 of the 22 patients, hemiglossectomy and reconstruction of the tongue using forearm flap were performed (skin flap group). In the other 11 patients, partial glossectomy with primary suture (6 cases) or artificial skin graft (5 cases) was performed (partial glossectomy group).
Sensory recovery in all categories (warm, cold, tactile and thermal pain) was recorded in 1 patient of the skin flap group and 5 of the partial glossectomy group. Total anesthesia was found in 2 patients of the skin flap group, but there were no patients with total anesthesia in the partial glossectomy group. The improvement of warm thresholds was slower than that of cold or tactile on the affected side. No significant factors relating to the recovery of sensation were detected statistically.