SURGICAL VARIABLES AFFECTING POSTOPERATIVE SWALLOWING EFFICIENCY IN ORAL-CANCER PATIENTS - A PILOT-STUDY

This study examined the correlation between swallow function at 3 mont hs postoperatively and surgical variables including volume resected, f lap volume, ratio of flap volume to volume resected, percentage of ora l tongue, tongue base, and anterior and lateral floor of mouth resecte d, and whether or not the mandible was preserved in 30 surgically trea ted oral cancer patients. Swallows of measured amounts of liquid and p aste (pudding) materials were examined videofluoroscopically. Nine mea sures of swallow function were completed for each swallow. A factor an alysis of all swallow variables was done for liquid and for paste cons istencies to determine whether one measure was statistically represent ative of all swallow measures. This analysis indicated that oral phary ngeal swallow efficiency (OPSE) represented all measures for both liqu id and paste consistencies. Then the correlation between OPSE and surg ical variables was defined. Only percentage of oral tongue and percent age of tongue base resected were significantly negatively correlated w ith OPSE. That is, OPSE decreased for both liquid and paste as percent age of oral tongue or percentage of tongue base resected increased. Re sults are discussed in terms of diet choices and surgical management.