Vol.95 No.12 contentsPRACTICA OTO-RHINO-LARYNGOLOGICA
Vol. 95 No. 12 December 2002
Treatment of Bilateral Hypoglossal
Nerve Transection
Shigenori Ode, Shintarou Yamaguchi, Atsuyoshi Tatsumi,
Tsuneo Inoue and Kensuke Watanabe
(Dokkyo University School of Medicine, Koshigaya Hospital)
Bilateral hypoglossal nerve transection is a rare complication of neck trauma because this injury generally results in death due to hemorrhage from a disrupted internal carotid artery or internal juglar vein. We report a case of bilateral hypoglossal nerve transection. The patient was 20-year-old man who suffered suprahyoid lacerations. He received emergency treatment, and two weeks after injury he underwent nerve grafting using the greater auricular nerve on the right side and end to end anastomosis of the nerve on the left side. One and a half months after operation, weak tongue movement appeared. Two months after operation, he could move his tongue toward the right side. Three and a half months after operation, he could move his tongue toward the left side. One year after operation, he had good quality of life with out dysphagia or dysarthria.
Key words : bilateral hypoglossal nerve transection, reconstruction of nerve, neck trauma