Increased midsagittal tongue velocity as indication of articulatory compensation in patients with lateral partial glossectomies.

Background: The purpose of this study was to describe the impact of partial lateral glossectomy on midsagittal tongue movement during speech.

Methods: Using B-mode ultrasound, the midsagittal tongue movement of 10 patients with lateral partial glossectomy during a standardized reading passage was analyzed before and after surgery. Six normal adults served as control speakers. The main outcome measure was the tongue velocity during speech. The technique of defect reconstruction (local vs flap) was included as a covariate in the analysis.

Results: Following the surgery, all patients significantly increased the velocity of the midsagittal tongue movements during the reading passage.

Conclusion: The results demonstrated that the patients with partial glossectomy compensated for the lateral tongue resections by increasing the velocity of the residual tongue during speech. The study provides first insights into the biomechanical aspects of spontaneous articulatory compensation following lateral tongue resections.