Articulatory function in patients who have undergone glossectomy with use of an artificial graft membrane

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate, by assessing speech intelligibility, the long-term usefulness of an artificial bilayer membrane as a mucosal substitute after glossectomy. Artificial membranes were grafted in 8 patients with intraoral defects after glossectomy. Five patients served as a control group and received only standard closure by suture after glossectomy. Speech intelligibility was evaluated by means of a standardized Japanese speech intelligibility test 6 months or more after the operation. The postoperative courses of all 13 patients were uneventful. Intelligibility scores of those who received grafts were better than those of the control group in the overall score, the glossal sounds score, and the rear portion sounds score. The artificial membrane was useful for the glossectomy as a long-term mucosal substitute, as well as for the short-term.