Surgery is the standard treatment for early tongue cancer. After a partial glossectomy, primary closure, skin grafting, or covering with artificial materials is performed. However, these methods may result in distortion, shortening, or narrowing of the tongue and functional impairment. We report a case involving reconstruction using the sliding tongue flap for an anterior tongue defect after a partial glossectomy. A 48-year-old woman with a tongue mass was referred to our department. A 23 × 22

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... m tumor was present in the left anterior tongue. A biopsy was performed, and the radiological/pathological diagnosis was squamous cell carcinoma (T2N0M0) . The patient underwent a partial glossectomy and sentinel lymph node biopsy under general anesthesia. After the partial glossectomy, reconstruction using the sliding tongue flap was performed. Since histopathological findings showed left cervical lymph node metastasis, a neck dissection was performed. Although the patient' s tongue was shortened slightly after the operation, its movement was generally good. There was no recurrence nor metastasis seven years and seven months after the surgery. : early tongue cancer (早期舌癌) ,sliding tongue flap (スライディングタングフラップ) 横浜市立大学大学院医学研究科顎顔面口腔機能制御学 (主任:光藤健司教授)