Tried or prescribed Glossectomy? Share your experience.
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A glossectomy is the surgical removal of all or part of the tongue. The surgery may be:
- Partial—removal of part of the tongue
- Hemi—one side of the tongue is removed
- Total—removal of the whole tongue
Mouth Cavity After Total Glossectomy © 2009 Nucleus Medical Media, Inc. |
This surgery is used to treat tongue cancer . It is done when other treatments have not been successful.
Cancer of the Tongue © 2009 Nucleus Medical Media, Inc. |
Possible Complications
No procedure is completely free of risk. If you are planning to have glossectomy, your doctor will review a list of possible complications, which may include:
- Tongue bleeding
- Infection
- Airway blockage from swelling and bleeding
- Trouble swallowing and aspiration of liquids
- Being unable to speak
- Weight loss
- Failure of flap—occurs when transplanted skin or flap does not get enough blood flow
- Recurrence of cancer
Some factors that may increase the risk of complications include:
- Lung disease
- Large tumors
- Malnutrition
- Alcoholism
- Smoking
- Prior radiation
- Prior chemotherapy
- Diabetes
Be sure to discuss these risks with your doctor before the surgery.
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