[Evaluation of the combined suprahyoid-transoral approach to the tongue base tumors].

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy and functional results of the combined suprahyoid-transoral approach in early-stage tongue base cancers.

Patients And Methods: Five patients (4 females, 1 male; mean age 47 years; range 12 to 65 years) with tongue base tumors underwent surgery via the combined suprahyoid-transoral approach. Diagnoses were adenoid cystic carcinoma in three patients and squamous cell carcinoma in two patients. The mean follow-up period was 32.4 months (range 10 to 54 months).

Results: One patient with adenoid cystic carcinoma and two patients with squamous cell carcinoma required neck dissection. Postoperative radiotherapy was administered to two patients with squamous cell carcinoma. Tracheotomy was performed in all cases during surgery. All patients were safely decannulated within a mean of 11.4 days (range 9 to 14 days) and converted to oral feeding within a mean of 8.6 days (range 7 to 11 days) with no aspiration problem. All patients had negative surgical margins. All patients had satisfactory phonation. No local or regional recurrences developed during the follow-up period.

Conclusion: Functional results obtained through the combined suprahyoid-transoral approach justify its use in the treatment of T1 or T2 tongue base carcinomas.