title: The importance of preoperative swallowing therapy in subtotal laryngectomies.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Fisiopatologia Clinica, sezione ORL II, Università degli Studi di Torino, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Cavalot
authors.forename: Eugenia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schindler
authors.forename: Nicolò
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Roggero
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Albera
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Utari
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cortesina
mesh_terms: 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