Ehrlich, Ficker, Klein, Rodforffer, and the
Ephemerides, all record instances in which a large tongue was
removed either by ligation or amputation. Von Siebold records an
instance in which death was caused by the ligature of an
abnormally sized tongue. There is a modern record of three cases
of enormous tongues, the result of simple hypertrophy. In one
case the tongue measured 6 1/4 inches from the angle of the mouth
about the sides and tip to the opposite angle, necessitating
amputation of the protruding portion.
Carnochan reports a case in which hypertrophy of the tongue was
reduced to nearly the normal size by first tying the external
carotid, and six weeks later the common carotid artery. Chalk
mentions partial dislocation of the lower jaw from an enlarged
tongue. Lyford speaks of enlargement of the tongue causing death.
The above conditions are known as macroglossia, which is a
congenital hypertrophy of the tongue analogous to elephantiasis.
It is of slow growth, and as the organ enlarges it interferes
with deglutition and speech. It may protrude over the chin and
reach even as far down as the sternum.
The great enlargement may cause deformities of the teeth and
lower jaw, and even present itself as an enormous tumor in the
neck.
Pages:
1114
1115
1116
1117
1118
1119
1120
1121
1122
1123
1124
1125
1126
1127
1128
1129
1130
1131
1132
1133
1134
1135
1136
1137
1138