SUMMARY
This study is an attempt to assess speech disability following glossectomy and primary
reconstruction in patients vvith locally advanced carcinoma tongue. Twenty nine patients
vvho undcrvvent glossectomy involving removal of 50% or more of the tongue followed
by reconstruction were assessed using screening articulation tests, standardized passages,
word lists and conversation samples in Kannada and tvlalayalanl languages. Objective
quantification of speech was carried out by assessing the tvvo psychoa-coustic parameters,
intelligibility and acceptability of speech. Intelligibility was calculated in percentage
as the number of words intelligible to the listener from a prepared word list. Acceptability
was rated on a one to five scale by the speech pathologists. This study revealed that
intelligibility and acceptability were not always directly proportional to the amount
of tongue removed. The other factors found to influence the intelligibility were preservation
of the mandible and timing of radiotherapy in relation to surgery. This score gives
us an objective index to assess the functional outcome of surgery.
Key Words
Intelligibility - Acceptability - Speech Assessment - Glossectomy
