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  • 1. Patient Introduction
  • 2. Resection of Lesion
  • 3. Specimen Margins
  • 4. Hemostasis
  • 5. Closure
  • 6. Long-acting Local Anesthetic
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Partial Glossectomy

24251 views

Liana Puscas, MD, MHS, C. Scott Brown, MD
Duke University Medical Center

Main Text

Table of Contents

  1. Case Overview
  2. Citations

Jaw and oral cavity involvement by metastatic disease is very rare, occurring in less than 1% of all oral malignancies. Unfortunately, oral metastasis is usually a manifestation of an advanced stage of primary cancer and indicates widespread disease and poor prognosis.1

In this clinical case, a patient presented with a well-circumscribed lesion on her tongue, causing interference with eating as it grew. Despite its benign appearance, the initial in-office biopsy revealed an unexpected diagnosis of metastatic lesion secondary to breast cancer. Only a few similar cases were reported in the literature.2 To alleviate the patient's symptoms, a decision was made to proceed with partial glossectomy.

Before initiating the resection, the dimensions of the lesion were measured. The perfectly round lesion was found to be well-encapsulated and not ulcerated. Nevertheless, a decision was made to include a 1-cm margin to ensure complete removal of the lesion. The surgical procedure involved meticulous resection while addressing the specific dimensions and contours of the lesion. During the resection, attention was given to specimen orientation, ensuring accurate identification and documentation of different margins for further analysis. Additional margin specimens were collected and evaluated for cancerous tissue by frozen section pathology for anterior-dorsal, posterior-dorsal, left lateral-posterior, ventral-anterior, and ventral-posterior.

Throughout the procedure, significant attention was given to achieving hemostasis by electrocauterization resulting in little bleeding and a clear operative field.

The surgical site was closed using Vicryl sutures considering their ability to provide better tensile strength in a dynamic structure like the tongue. The closure was done with horizontal mattress sutures to minimize potential complications.3 Postoperative pain management was addressed with topical administration of Bupivacaine, providing long-acting analgesia. The patient received preoperative Dexamethasone to mitigate potential swelling. The reduction of postoperative edema is crucial for the optimal surgical outcome and the patient’s recovery.

This video demonstrates the removal of the metastatic breast cancer lesion on the patient's tongue while ensuring comprehensive margin assessment through frozen sections. The choice of sutures and postoperative analgesia reflect a patient-centered approach, emphasizing optimal recovery and symptom relief.

Citations

  1. Lee YH, Lee J Il. Metastatic carcinoma of the oral region: an analysis of 21 cases. Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal. 2017;22(3). doi:10.4317/medoral.21566.
  2. Zegarelli DJ, Tsukada Y, Pickren JW, Greene GW. Metastatic tumor to the tongue. Report of twelve cases. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol. 1973;35(2). doi:10.1016/0030-4220(73)90286-7.
  3. Bouchard C, Troulis MJ, Kaban LB. Pediatric Dentoalveolar Surgery. In: Peterson’s Principles of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Fourth Edition. 2022. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-91920-7_7.