Successful replantation of an amputated tongue

A case of a traumatically amputated tongue is reported. This case illustrates the importance of attempting microsurgical tongue replantation in cases in which significant segments of tongue are lost and tissues are viable. Rapid initial assessment, tracheotomy and treatment of other intraoral injuries circumvented technical difficulty that would have been caused by massive edema after flow was reestablished. Arterial blood flow through a single lingual artery was adequate to supply the entire amputated segment. An 8-cm vein graft to the facial vein established venous outflow. Tongue replantation can be performed successfully after securing an adequate airway and controlling blood loss.