BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to explore the 10-year plus outcomes of Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy with concomitant chemotherapy (CRT) combined with preventive swallowing rehabilitation (CRT+) for head and neck cancer (HNC).METHODS: Subjective and objective swallowing, trismus, and speech related outcomes were assessed at 10-year plus after CRT+. Outcomes were compared to previously published 6-year results of the same cohort.RESULTS: Fourteen of the 22 patients at 6-year follow-up were evaluable. Although objective swallowing-related outcomes showed no deterioration (eg, no feeding tube dependency and no pneumonia), swallowing-related quality of life slightly deteriorated over time. No patients had or perceived trismus. Voice and speech questionnaires showed little problems in daily life. Overall quality of life (QOL) was good.CONCLUSIONS: After CRT with preventive rehabilitation exercises for advanced HNC, swallowing, trismus, and speech related outcomes moderately deteriorated from 6 to 10 years, with an on average good overall QOL after.
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Key summary points Aim To describe a guidance on the management of post-acute COVID 19 patients in geriatric rehabilitation. Findings This guidance addresses general requirements for post-acute COVID-19 geriatric rehabilitation and critical aspects for quality assurance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the guidance describes relevant care processes and procedures divided in five topics: patient selection; admission; treatment; discharge; and follow-up and monitoring. Message This guidance is designed to provide support to care professionals involved in the geriatric rehabilitation treatment of post-acute COVID-19 patients.
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Swallowing muscle strength exercises are effective in restoring swallowing function. In order to perform the exercises with progressive load, the swallow exercise aid (SEA) was developed. Precise knowledge on which muscles are activated with swallowing exercises, especially with the SEA, is lacking. This knowledge would aid in optimizing the training program to target the relevant swallowing muscles, if necessary. Three healthy volunteers performed the three SEA exercises (chin tuck against resistance, jaw opening against resistance and effortful swallow) and three conventional exercises [conventional effortful swallow (cES), Shaker and Masako] in supine position inside an MRI scanner. Fast muscle functional MRI scans (generating quantitative T2-maps) were made immediately before and after the exercises. Median T2 values at rest and after exercise were compared to identify activated muscles. After the three SEA exercises, the suprahyoid, infrahyoid, sternocleidomastoid, and lateral pterygoid muscles showed significant T2 value increase. After the Shaker, the lateral pterygoid muscles did not show such an increase, but the three other muscle groups did. The cES and Masako caused no significant increase in any of these muscle groups. During conventional (Shaker) exercises, the suprahyoid, infrahyoid, and sternocleidomastoid muscles are activated. During the SEA exercises, the suprahyoid, infrahyoid, sternocleidomastoid, and lateral pterygoid muscles are activated. The findings of this explorative study further support the potential of the SEA to improve swallowing rehabilitation.
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