Assessment of muscular tone of the tongue using a digital measure spoon in a healthy population: A pilot study.

The study of the muscles of the tongue forms part of a basic evaluation of upper airway function that includes swallowing, speaking and chewing. It is important because the upper airway presents a region of collapse during sleep. Through the action of the dilator muscles, mainly the genioglossus, such collapse can be prevented. In this study, we present a simple tool that can be used to measure the strength of the tongue. This tool may provide an easy way to measure tongue function and allow a simple evaluation of pathologies that affect the tone of the tongue. We have carried out 20 tongue strength measurements using the Tongue Digital Spoon (TDS) in a healthy adult population, using the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument (IOPI) as the gold standard. To validate the procedure, we performed replicate measurements on 20 individuals aged 20-70 years. We found a mean TDS measurement of 115.99 g/cm2 in young subjects, 98.47 g/cm2 in middle-aged subjects and 84.23 g/cm2 in the elderly. There was a significant difference in the measurements between young and elderly participants. There was also a significant correlation between TDS and IOPI measurements (Pearson correlation coefficient, r = 0.69, P < 0.001). We found the TDS to be a useful tool in daily clinical practice for the measurement of the strength of the tongue in the healthy population. It has potential application in oropharyngeal monitoring and rehabilitation.

Facial palsy after embolization with Squid® 12.

Endovascular procedures with liquid embolic agents such as ethylene-vinyl alcohol (EVOH) copolymers are indicated before surgical treatment of cervical paraganglioma. Consequently, these agents are now available as low viscosity formulations, one of which is Squid 12, which are demonstrating superior vascular penetration. Cases of facial paralysis secondary to embolization of cervical vascular lesions with classic embolic agents have been reported in the English literature, however, this complication has not been described with new generation options such as Squid 12.We describe the case of a 43-year-old patient with a left neck carotid paraganglioma. Embolization was performed under general anaesthesia before surgical excision. In the immediate postoperative period, the patient developed total left facial palsy. Since the imaging tests (Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)) and neurological examination showed no involvement of additional cranial nerves (CN), we hypothesise that the main cause of this complication is ischemia of the vasa nervorum of CN VII secondary to embolization. Almost six months later, the patient continues to present total facial paralysis (Grade VI House-Brackmann facial paralysis scale), and palsy of the left CN X and XII as a complication secondary to surgical resection of the paraganglioma.This case is relevant since it is the first clinical case of permanent facial paralysis secondary to embolization with Squid 12.