The importance of preoperative swallowing therapy in subtotal laryngectomies.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the utility of swallowing therapy (ST) before and after surgery in patients undergoing subtotal laryngectomy.


METHODS
From 1990 to 2000, 43 patients underwent subtotal laryngectomy. Prior to 1997 patients received ST only after surgery, while from 1997 on, patients scheduled for subtotal laryngectomy also received some sessions of ST before surgery.


RESULTS
The average time to swallowing resumption was 27.76 +/- 5.206 days for the 25 patients who received ST only after surgery, and 16.38 +/- 2.953 for those who underwent ST both before and after surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
The difference between the two groups was significant on Student's t test (P < 0.001) and shows that preoperative rehabilitation is of significant help in the early resumption of normal deglutition.


CONCLUSIONS
The authors find that the duration of nasogastric tube feeding is reduced in subjects who underwent ST.
Cavalot
Andrea L
AL
Dipartimento di Fisiopatologia Clinica, sezione ORL II, Università degli Studi di Torino, Turin, Italy.
Ricci
Eugenia
E
Schindler
Antonio
A
Roggero
Nicolò
N
Albera
Roberto
R
Utari
Cristina
C
Cortesina
Giorgio
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007441:Intubation, Gastrointestinal; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D007825:Laryngectomy / Q000379:methods*; D007828:Laryngoscopy; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D037981:Neck Dissection; D011300:Preoperative Care; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome