How do doctors remove a person's tongue?

January 7, 2008 12:13 PM

What is the procudeure for a total glossectomy?

(It's for a piece of fiction; I don't know anyone undergoing the procedure). I've done a lot of googling but can't find the exact method that doctors use for cutting out a person's tongue. (The story takes place around 1999, if that changes things).

posted by Bookhouse to health & fitness (3 comments total)

I found a reasonable number of articles and textbook extracts, but none specifically giving exactly what you'd want though. You'd probably be best off going to a medical school library and looking through surgical manuals and surgery textbooks. This would also have the advantage of letting you see the publication dates.
posted by aeschenkarnos at 2:16 PM on January 7, 2008

This is an ENT procedure for Ca of the tongue, try some of these links.

More common ENT procedures will have a youtube as well but this is extremely rare.
posted by Wilder at 2:45 PM on January 7, 2008

Oh, and well-known English journo John Diamond had one and it may be useful to read his Bio
posted by Wilder at 2:47 PM on January 7, 2008 [1 favorite]