Swallowing and speech after radical total glossectomy with tongue prosthesis

Radical total glossectomy is now accepted as a useful procedure for the management of advanced cancer of the tongue. This article records our study of speech and swallowing without the tongue. An artificial tongue prosthesis has been developed and found to greatly improve these functions after total glossectomy. The special operative factors to be considered in order to permit a smooth and rapid rehabilitation regarding speech and swallowing have been stressed.