TRANSPHARYNGEAL APPROACH TO BASE OF TONGUE TUMORS - A COMPARATIVE-STUDY

Tumors of the tongue base have been traditionally removed by resecting the mandible or using a translabial transmandibular approach, These p rocedures involve significant morbidity including lip and chin scars, malocclusion, compromised deglutition, chronic aspiration, and altered speech articulation, Therefore alternative techniques have been descr ibed to minimize the morbidity associated with transmandibular tongue resection. A retrospective analysis of patients with base of tongue tu mors treated at the University of California, Los Angeles, Medical Cen ter between 1981 and 1994 was undertaken. Thirteen patients were treat ed using a transpharyngeal approach compared with 18 patients who unde rwent a transmandibular resection. There was no difference in terms of survival or tumor-free margins. However, there was a significant diff erence in function (P<.05), Patients who underwent transpharyngeal res ection had significantly better speech and swallowing and less aspirat ion compared with those who underwent transmandibular resection of tum ors.