Korean J Otorhinolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  2010 Feb;53(2):94-98. 10.3342/kjorl-hns.2010.53.2.94.

Rehabilitation Protocol for Postoperative Dysphagia in Head and Neck Cancer Patients

• Park JO
• Kim DH
• Son HL
• Joo YH
• Cho JH
• Park YH
• Kim MS
• Sun DI

• KMID: 1455715
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3342/kjorl-hns.2010.53.2.94

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Treatment of head and neck cancer patients with surgical removal may result in some degree of dysphagia. Swallowing disorders depend on the site, the extent of surgical resection, and the nature of the surgical reconstruction. As a result, rehabilitation needs to be managed by head and neck surgeons with specific anatomical knowledge. However, in Korea, only occupational therapists can get approval for dysphagia rehabilitation from the national health insurance cooperation. Therefore, we designed a Advanced Rehabilitation Protocol (ARP) rehabilitation and carried out a comparative study against the current rehabilitation protocol.
SUBJECTS AND METHOD
Data were collected by reviewing medical records of 40 patients who received operation on oral cavity, larynx and hypopharynx from November 2007 to January 2009. Of these, 20 patients were treated with ARP under the management of head and neck surgeons but the other 20 patients were not.
RESULTS
Although the results had no statistical significance, the study showed that ARP had the effect of shortening the rehabilitation and enabled them to start adjuvant therapies early.
CONCLUSION
Rehabilitation needs to be managed cooperatively by a multidisciplinary team that includes an otolaryngologist who has specific anatomical knowledge of the concerned area and reconstruction according to specific swallowing problems.

Keyword

Dysphagia; Rehabilitation; Head and neck cancer

MeSH Terms

Deglutition
Deglutition Disorders
Head
Head and Neck Neoplasms
Humans
Hypopharynx
Korea
Larynx
Medical Records
Mouth
National Health Programs
Neck