I. Bodin et al., Deterioration of intraoral hole size identification after treatment of oral and pharyngeal cancer, ACT OTO-LAR, 119(5), 1999, pp. 609-616
Thirty-one patients with a diagnosed malignant tumour of the oral cavity or
pharynx were tested in hole size identification on four test occasions: be
fore all treatment, after radiotherapy and 6 months and I year after surgic
al treatment. They a ere compared within groups as well as with a group of
healthy reference individuals of the same age who underwent the same test p
rocedure at a ? months' interval. The oral group did nut decline in hole si
ze identification after radiotherapy, but did after surgery. The deteriorat
ion was persistent 1 year after surgery. The pharyngeal group did not chang
e performance in hole size identification after radiotherapy. nor after sur
gery. Ir is obvious that surgery of the oral structures causes the deterior
ation. No correlation with; damage to the lingual nerve could be registered
. The oral cavity reacts as one unit, despite sensory input from two sides.
The non-operated side dots not compensate for the operated side. It is pla
usible that decreased oral sensory aquity, in recognizing hole size of the
bolus, contributes to postoperative swallowing problems.