Tongue reconstruction post partial glossectomy during the COVID-19 pandemic. A case report

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated temporary modifications in the current head and neck oncology treatment paradigm. Till date, no definite treatment for COVID-19 has been discovered. Considering the situation of the global COVID-19 outbreak, methods that minimize patient visits with no compromise in efficacy should be considered. The optimal method for tongue reconstruction has not been determined yet. The artificial bilayer membrane has been used as mucosal substitute in few cases of tongue reconstruction with promising results. Case presentation: We present two cases of tongue reconstruction with acellular dermal matrix post partial glossectomy for tongue carcinoma during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both patients showed good recovery and healing, and no side effects and/or complications were reported. Discussion: The acellular dermal matrix is not a standard technique for tongue reconstruction but one of the available options. The few reported cases in literature showed promising results in regard of function and healing. Conclusion: We believe the use of acellular dermal matrix can help in preventing the spread of COVID-19 because of the absence of donor morbidity, decreasing post-operative hospital stay and visits.