ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Performing oncologically safe, wide surgical excisions and postoperative volumetric restoration of resected tongues to gain functional recovery are contrary problems to deal with in performing glossectomy. There is no report about the volumetric restoration of a resected tongue according to resecting devices until now. The purpose of this study is to clarify the difference of postoperative volumetric changes of a resected tongue using a scalpel, electrocautery and laser with or without closure. MATERIALS AND METHOD: We used 12 rabbits for each group according to the resecting devices and also equally divided each group according to the closure or non-closure method. The volumetric changes of a resected tongue were measured by the Archimedes principles in one, two, three, and six months postoperatively. RESULTS: Regardless of resecting devices, the postoperative volume of a resected tongue was gradually increased as elapsed time. The nonclosure method was better than the closure method with respect to the volumetric restoration of the resected tongue regardless of the resecting devices, but there was no statistical significance of volumetric restoration between the closure and nonclosure methods in each group (p>0.05). The superior resecting device for the volumetric restoration of a resected tongue was diode laser, especially compared to electrocautry, in both closure and nonclosure method (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The volumetric restoration after resection of the tongue using laser and nonclosure method are superior to electrocautery and to the closure method, respectively.