Feasibility of Exercises to Treat Dysphagia after Laryngectomy
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An Investigation of the Feasibility of Exercises for the Treatment of Dysphagia after Laryngectomy
IRAS ID
326342
Contact name
Margaret Coffey
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN95066540
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
In the UK, 2,400 people each year are diagnosed with cancer of the voice box (larynx). As part of this cancer treatment, some patients undergo removal of the voice box (laryngectomy). One of the problems that can happen after this surgery is difficulty swallowing. Despite previous research showing that most people with a laryngectomy have problems with swallowing, currently we do not have enough information to improve this issue.
As exercises have improved swallowing difficulty in those who have a voice box, it is possible that exercises may help people with a laryngectomy swallow easily again. This research will examine whether patients find exercises acceptable, suitable and workable to use to improve swallowing after laryngectomy. Some of the patients who agree to take part in the study will be randomised to do exercises every day for 6 weeks and others will be randomised to continue with their usual care.
Swallowing ability will be measured at the start of the study and at 3, 6 and 18 months after exercises are completed. Measurements will include questionnaires completed by participants and clinicians. All patients will additionally be asked to have a tube placed into their nose to measure pressure during swallow with a moving x-ray of the swallow recorded at the same time. We will ask people about how helpful they found the exercises. We will also look at whether the tools used to measure change in swallowing ability worked well.
The findings of this study will impact on the care of future and current patients by being a critical step in enabling a later study to happen. The findings of this study and the future one will have the potential to improve the quality of life, prevent unnecessary surgery and reduce healthcare costs for patients who have lost their voice box.
REC name
London - Westminster Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/LO/0732
Date of REC Opinion
2 Oct 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion