title: Intermittent Oroesophageal Tube Feeding via the Airway in Patients With Dysphagia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the feasibility of the use of the oropharyngeal airway (OPA) during intermittent oroesophageal tube (IOET) feeding.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten patients, who were evaluated using the videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS), were enrolled. One patient withdrew from the study during the study period. Tube insertion time with and without OPA use was recorded in the same patients in a random order during the VFSS. Patients who could safely undergo IOET feeding were then randomly allocated to 2 groups (OPA and non-OPA). Satisfaction Questionnaire with Gastrostomy Feeding (SAGA-8) scores and pneumonia incidence were assessed on the 3rd and 10th day after the VFSS. Non-parametric analysis was used for statistical analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The IOET insertion time was significantly shorter in the OPA group than in the non-OPA group (17.72±5.79 vs. 25.41±10.41 seconds; p=0.017). Complications were not significantly different between the 2 groups (p=0.054). Furthermore, although there were no significant differences in the SAGA-8 scores (25.50±2.38 vs. 21.40±3.13; p=0.066), which reflect the patient/caregiver satisfaction and the ease of tube insertion, patients in the OPA group tended to be more satisfied with the feeding procedure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the small size of the study cohort is a limitation of our study, the use of the OPA appears to be beneficial during IOET feeding in patients with dysphagia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyo Kyung
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0714-0850
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: School of Electrical Engineering, University of Ulsan, Ulsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyo In
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4173-9218
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Chang Ho
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0444-3602
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Hwang
keywords: Dysphagia; Intermittent oroesophageal tube; Swallowing; Videofluoroscopy