This study aims to evaluate the effect of a structured swallowing rehabilitation program on swallowing function, trismus severity, and pain among patients with head and neck tumors, using a randomized controlled trial design. Eighty patients will be randomly allocated into two equal groups: a study group receiving the swallowing rehabilitation program and a control group receiving standard care.
The swallowing rehabilitation program is a structured intervention designed to improve swallowing ability, mouth opening, and jaw mobility in patients with head and neck tumors. It includes the Mendelsohn maneuver, effortful swallow, Masako technique, tongue strengthening, and jaw range-of-motion and stretching exercises, performed as three sets of ten repetitions twice daily. The program is delivered across four phases (assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation) over structured orientation, theoretical, and practical sessions. Outcomes are assessed using the EAT-10 (swallowing function) and the Gothenburg Trismus Questionnaire 2 / GTQ2 (trismus severity), in addition to pain level, at baseline and 6 weeks after initiation of the program.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
80
A structured program including Mendelsohn maneuver, effortful swallow, Masako technique, tongue strengthening exercises, and jaw range-of-motion and stretching exercises, performed as three sets of ten repetitions twice daily, delivered through orientation, theoretical, and practical sessions.
National Cancer Institute, Cairo University
Cairo, Egypt
Change in Swallowing Function as Measured by the Eating Assessment Tool-10 (EAT-10)
Swallowing function assessed using the Eating Assessment Tool-10 (EAT-10), a 10-item self-administered questionnaire with total scores ranging from 0 to 40, with higher scores indicating greater swallowing difficulty (0-3 = normal swallowing, ≥4 = possible dysphagia, 10-20 = moderate dysphagia, \>20 = severe dysphagia).
Time frame: Baseline and 6 weeks after initiation of the swallowing rehabilitation program
Change in Trismus Severity as Measured by the Gothenburg Trismus Questionnaire 2 (GTQ-2)
Trismus severity assessed using the Gothenburg Trismus Questionnaire 2 (GTQ-2), a 20-item questionnaire with total scores ranging from 24 to 120, with higher scores indicating greater trismus severity (24 = no trismus, 25-57 = mild, 58-89 = moderate, 90-120 = severe trismus).
Time frame: Baseline and 6 weeks after initiation of the swallowing rehabilitation program
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