Table 2.
Clinical characteristics and development of postoperative submandibular gland symptoms
| Submandibular gland symptoms | p-value* | ||
| All | 15/52 (29%) | ||
| Sex | Male | 9/31 (29%) | >0.99 |
| Female | 6/21 (29%) | ||
| Age at operation | 39–54 years | 5/16 (31%) | 0.02 |
| 55–64 years | 9/19 (47%) | ||
| 65–93 years | 1/17 (6%) | ||
| Year of operation | 2007–2009 | 8/25 (32%) | 0.76 |
| 2010–2011 | 7/27 (26%) | ||
| Pathological TNM staging | T0/T1 N0 | 14/47 (30%) | >0.99
(T0/T1 N0 vs other) |
| T2 N0 | 1/4 (25%) | ||
| T2 N1 | 0/1 (0%) | ||
| Site lesion | Anterior unilateral FOM | 8/24 (33%) | No test done |
| Bilateral/midline FOM | 4/11 (36%) | ||
| FOM unspecified | 0/1 (0%) | ||
| Unilateral ventral tongue | 1/11 (9%) | ||
| Bilateral ventral tongue | 0/1 (0%) | ||
| Anterior unilateral FOM and unilateral ventral tongue | 1/3 (33%) | ||
| Bilateral/midline FOM and unilateral ventral tongue | 1/1 (100%) | ||
| Treatment modality | Laser excision | 10/38 (26%) | 0.48
(laser vs monopolar) |
| Monopolar cautery | 5/12 (42%) | ||
| Laser and adjuvant radiotherapy | 0/1 (0%) | ||
| Monopolar and adjuvant radiotherapy | 0/1 (0%) | ||
| Submandibular duct | Not identified | 9/32 (28%) | 0.02** |
| Identified but not repositioned | 4/5 (80%) | ||
| Identified and repositioned | 2/15 (13%) |
TNM = tumour, lymph nodes, metastasis; FOM = floor of the mouth
*
Fisher’s exact test (2 comparison groups) and chi-squared test (3 or more groups)
**
p=0.18 for repositioned during surgery vs not repositioned (2/15 [13%] vs 13/37 [35%])