Abstract
It is important to clarify the risk factors of dysphagia after surgical procedures for oral cancer to indicate the operation, in order to gain informed consent of patients and for rehabilitation for swallowing. This report describes qualitative and quantitative analyses before and after surgical procedures, and investigates the changes of swallowing function. Of 33 patients who received surgical procedures for stage I or II lingual cancer, nine cases were studied and their swallowing function was evaluated by videofluorography taken pre-operatively, post-partial glossectomy and post delayed neck dissection. The qualitative analysis showed that the residual amount in vallecula and pyriform sinus was increased and an unequal passage was observed during pharyngeal transit in those patients after neck dissection. As for the quantitative analysis, no significant difference was observed in pre-operation, post-partial glossectomy and delayed neck dissection. We found that neck dissection might influence the swallowing function, but it was not an absolute factor for aspiration.
