[Correlation between different body mass index and anatomical position of tongue artery]

Objective: To compare the anatomical position of the lingual artery in people with different body mass index (BMI), and to observe whether there is a correlation between different body mass index, height, weight with tongue length, tongue width, bilateral lingual artery distance and lingual artery depth, so as to estimate the position of the lingual artery during the operation to guide the operation. Methods: Three hundred and fourteen subjects who underwent CT angiography (computed tomography angiograph, CTA) at the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from June 2020 to September 2020 were randomly selected for retrospective analysis, including 190 males and 124 females people,aged from 20 to 73 years old. The subjects were divided into 4 groups: low body weight (BMI<18.5 kg/m², n=32), normal body weight (18.5 kg/m²≤BMI<24 kg/m², n=164), super weight group (24 kg/m²≤BMI<28 kg/m², n=93), and obesity group (BMI≥28 kg/m², n=25). The subjects' tongue length and tongue width, bilateral lingual artery spacing and lingual artery depth at each measurement point were measured respectively. The differences in anatomical data between the groups were compared to see if there was statistical significance. Meanwhile, the correlation between BMI and various anatomical parameters was analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 22.0 software. Results: There was no significant difference in age and gender composition ratio between the four groups of subjects (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in tongue width and bilateral lingual artery distance at 3 measurement points in each group (P>0.05). There was significant difference in tongue length and lingual artery depth at each measurement point (P<0.001). Pearson correlation analysis showed that BMI was significantly positively correlated with bilateral lingual artery distance at each measurement point (r=0.372, 0.395, 0.232, P<0.001), and BMI was significantly positively correlated with lingual artery depth at each measurement point (r=0.312, 0.461, 0.453, P>0.001). BMI was significantly positively correlated with tongue length (r=0.441, P<0.001), but not with tongue width. Conclusions: In patients with different BMI values, the location of the lingual artery is different and positively correlated. Individual surgical plans should be made according to patients with different BMI values during tongue body surgery to avoid damage to the lingual artery.