Exploration of a remote swallowing training model after laryngeal cancer surgery: Non-randomized concurrent controlled trial

Abstract

Background

Patients with supraglottic laryngeal carcinoma need to receive swallowing rehabilitation training. During the COVID-19 pandemic, patients do not have the conditions to visit the hospital for follow up frequently, so it is imperative to explore a new remote rehabilitation training model based on network conditions.

Objective

To explore the effect of remote rehabilitation training mode on improving postoperative swallowing function in patients with supraglottic laryngeal carcinoma.

Methods

Patients undergoing remote rehabilitation and video rehabilitation after surgical treatment for supraglottic laryngeal cancer, 16 each, were collected, and swallowing function at the start of transoral feeding was assessed as a baseline to compare swallowing function and the occurrence of complications at different stages of training.

Results

Patients in the remote group began to show significant improvement in subjective swallowing function from the second week (P < .001). In terms of objective swallowing function, although the remote group did not show a significant (P = .66) advantage initially, it was also significantly better than the control group in the fourth week (P＜.001). These effects are even more impressive in patients undergoing open surgery (P＜.001). When completed the rehabilitation phase, patients in the remote group had a better nutritional status (P = .03), especially postlaser surgery patients (P = .02).

Conclusions

The remote rehabilitation training model has an improving effect on patients with supraglottic laryngeal cancer postoperative swallowing disorder, which provides a theoretical basis for the design and improvement of the future remote rehabilitation training model. This study suggests that this training model should be incorporated into the daily postoperative management of patients with laryngeal cancer to improve the efficiency of patients’ recovery, provide patients with real-time medical information, and relieve patients’ anxiety, thus reducing the need for repeated visits and improving patients’ postoperative quality of life.