Alteration of functional loads after tongue volume reduction

An earlier study revealed that the patterns of biomechanical loads on bones around the tongue altered significantly right after tongue volume reduction surgery. The current study was to examine whether these alterations persist or vanish over time post-surgery.

Five sibling pairs of 12-week-old Yucatan minipigs were used. For each pair, one had surgery reducing tongue volume by about 15% (reduction) while the other had same incisions without tissue removal (sham). All animals were raised for 4 weeks after surgery. Three rosette strain gauges were placed on the bone surfaces of pre-maxilla (PM), mandibular incisor (MI), and mandibular molar (MM); two single-element gauges were placed across the pre-maxilla-maxillar suture (PMS) and mandibular symphysis (MSP), and two pressure transducers were placed on the bone surfaces of hard palate (PAL) and mandibular body (MAN). These bone strains and pressures were recorded during natural mastication.

Overall amount of all loads increased significantly as compared to those in previous study in all animals. Instead of decreased loads in reduction animals as seen in that study, shear strains at PM, MI, and MM, tensile strains at PMS, and pressure at MAN were significantly higher in reduction than sham animals. Compared to the sham, strain dominance shifted at PM, MI, and MM and orientation of tensile strain altered at MI in reduction animals.

A healed volume-reduced tongue may change loading regime significantly by elevating loading and altering strain-dominant pattern and orientation on its surrounding structures, and these changes are more remarkable in mandibular than maxillary sites.