Effect of Chin-down-plus-larynx-tightening maneuver on swallowing function after minimally invasive esophagectomy: A randomized controlled trail

Abstract

Background: The incidence of swallowing abnormality was high after minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) for esophageal cancer (EC). Few reports, however, focused on interventions for dysphagia after esophagectomy. Aim: The purpose of this research was to estimate the effect of Chin-down-plus-larynx-tightening maneuver on swallowing function for patients receiving esophagectomy. Method: This was a 2-arm, parallel-group, single-blind randomized clinical trial, performed in patients suffered from EC from November 2018 to January 2020. Patients were randomly assigned to the intervention group (IG) or the control group (CG). The participants in CG received routine care, and the IG received Chin-down-plus-larynx-tightening maneuver during feeding. The incidence of choking cough, swallowing function, and dietary outcomes were evaluated before and after intervention for 7 days. Results: A total of 237 EC cases were enrolled and randomized to the IG (n = 118) or CG (n = 119). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of demographic and clinical characteristics. Postoperative choking cough occurred in 5 of 118 cases (4.24%) in IG and 18 of 119 cases (19.4%) in CG, the differences showed statistically significant (P