Partial glossectomy and floor of mouth (FOM) defect repair with biological dural graft: A case report

INTRODUCTION: Oral carcinoma can cause significant defects that would necessitate a challenging reconstructive surgery. These techniques include biological or synthetic dressings, grafts, regional flaps, and free-vascularized flaps. Among these, the dural graft has demonstrated promising results in repairing the skull-base defects. Our aim is to report a new, innovative technique for partial glossectomy and floor of mouth defect repair using a biological dural graft dressing when primary repair was not feasible and the patient did not consent to dermal graft or flap interventions. PRESENTATION OF CASE: This article reports the outcomes from a novel intervention of partial glossectomy repair using a biological dural dressing derived from bovine type-I collagen in a 57-year-old female patient with recurrent T1N1M0 squamous cell carcinoma of the left-sided tongue during the 12 month period of follow-up. DISCUSSION: The best option for large tongue defects is a free flap, while for a moderate defect is a regional oral flap. The biological graft, as an acellular dermal graft has been well known to facilitate secondary healing in the tongue as an alternative to the split-thickness skin graft. In the current study, the dural dressing in tongue reconstruction was likewise shown to be an effective biological dressing; hence, the collagen membrane is biologically acceptable to the oral mucosa and an excellent wound graft material. However, it is absolutely contraindicated in bovine hypersensitive patients. CONCLUSION: The biological dural graft dressing appears to be an effective method for tongue reconstruction, as it promotes adequate wound healing and it preserves function.