Base of tongue and tonsillar tumor resection is a surgical procedure to remove malignant or high-grade premalignant growths arising in the posterior tongue and tonsillar regions. These tumors can interfere with swallowing, speech, and airway patency. Under general anesthesia, Dr. Hitesh R. Singhavi accesses the oropharynx—often through the mouth without external incisions—to excise the lesion with a rim of healthy tissue. This ensures thorough removal while minimizing collateral damage to critical structures such as the glossopharyngeal nerve, lingual artery, and palatine tonsillar pillars.
Dr. Singhavi begins with a multidisciplinary evaluation: high-resolution MRI or PET-CT to delineate tumor margins, along with triple endoscopy to assess airway involvement. Nutritionists and speech‐language pathologists optimize swallowing mechanics in advance. In the operating room, he employs intraoperative nerve monitoring to safeguard sensory and motor pathways. Margins are confirmed via frozen‐section pathology before closure. For larger defects, he collaborates with reconstructive colleagues to employ radial forearm free flaps or local mucosal advancement flaps, restoring contour and function. Post-surgery, patients follow a graduated swallowing protocol under the guidance of speech therapists, progressing from liquids to soft solids as tolerated.
Through Dr. Singhavi’s meticulous technique, patients achieve complete tumor clearance with preservation of vital oropharyngeal functions. By avoiding external incisions, the transoral approach reduces postoperative pain, swelling, and visible scarring. Precise margin control lowers recurrence risk, and early flap reconstruction enables rapid return of swallowing and speech. Most patients resume oral intake within days, minimize hospital stay, and regain confidence in social and nutritional activities. Long-term follow-up shows durable disease control and excellent quality of life.
