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

Readiness for hospital discharge and its association with post-discharge outcomes among oesophageal cancer patients after oesophagectomy: A prospective observational study

AIM

To examine the level and influencing factors of discharge readiness among patients with oesophageal cancer following oesophagectomy and to explore its association with post-discharge outcomes (post-discharge coping difficulty and unplanned readmission).

BACKGROUND

Oesophageal cancer is common and usually treated via oesophagectomy in China. The assessment of patient's discharge readiness gradually attracts attention as patients tend to be discharged more quickly.

DESIGN

Prospective observational study. The STROBE statement was followed.

METHODS

In total, 154 participants with oesophageal cancer after oesophagectomy were recruited in a tertiary cancer centre in Southern China from July 2019 to January 2020. The participants completed a demographic and disease-related questionnaire, the Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale and Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale before discharge. Post-discharge outcomes were investigated on the 21st day (post-discharge coping difficulty) and 30th day (unplanned readmission) after discharge separately. Multiple linear regressions were used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

The mean scores of discharge readiness and quality of discharge teaching were (154.02 ± 31.58) and (138.20 ± 24.20) respectively. The quality of discharge teaching, self-care ability, dysphagia and primary caregiver mainly influenced patient's discharge readiness and explained 63.0% of the variance. The low discharge readiness could predict more risk of post-discharge coping difficulty (r = -0.729, p < 0.01) and unplanned readmission (t = -2.721, p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Discharge readiness among patients with oesophageal cancer following oesophagectomy is influenced by various factors, especially the quality of discharge teaching. A high discharge readiness corresponds to good post-discharge outcomes.

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND PATIENT CARE

Healthcare professionals should improve the discharge readiness by constructing high-quality discharge teaching, cultivating patients' self-care ability, mobilizing family participation and alleviating dysphagia to decrease adverse post-discharge outcomes among patients with oesophageal cancer.

PATIENTS OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

Patients with oesophageal cancer after oesophagectomy who met the inclusion criteria were recruited.

The fragility of significant results from randomized controlled trials in esophageal surgeries

While randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are regarded as one of the highest forms of clinical research, the robustness of their P values can be difficult to ascertain. Defined as the minimum number of patients in a study arm that would need to be changed from a non-event to event for the findings to lose significance, the Fragility Index is a method for evaluating results from these trials. This study aims to calculate the Fragility Index for trials evaluating perioperative esophagectomy-related interventions to determine the strength of RCTs in this field. MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched for RCTs related to esophagectomy that reported a significant dichotomous outcome. Two reviewers independently screened articles and performed the data extractions with risk of bias assessment. The Fragility Index was calculated using a two-tailed Fisher's exact test. Bivariate correlation was conducted to evaluate associations between the Fragility Index and study characteristics. 41 RCTs were included, and the median sample size was 80 patients [Interquartile range (IQR) 60-161]. Of the included outcomes, 29 (71%) were primary, and 12 (29%) were secondary. The median Fragility Index was 1 (IQR 1-3), meaning that by changing one patient from a non-event to event, the results would become non-significant. Fragility Index was correlated with P value, number of events, and journal impact factor. The RCTs related to esophagectomy did not prove to be robust, as the significance of their results could be changed by altering the outcome status of a handful of patients in one study arm.

Effectiveness of an early, quantified, modified oral feeding protocol on nutritional status and quality of life of patients after minimally invasive esophagectomy: A retrospective controlled study

OBJECTIVES

Previous studies confirmed the safety and feasibility of oral feeding on the first postoperative day (POD) for patients with minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE). Nonetheless, some clinical concern can lead to delays in early oral feeding on POD 1. To our knowledge, few reports have focused on resolving these clinical concerns. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effects of an early, quantified, modified oral feeding protocol for patients after MIE and to explore its effect on nutritional status and quality of life (QoL).

METHODS

In this prospective controlled trail, 200 patients were selected as the intervention group (IG) from March 2020 to June 2021; 115 patients hospitalized from June 2019 to February 2020 were assigned to the control group (CG). For 2 wk during the postoperative period, IG participants received an early, quantified, modified oral feeding protocol. The recovery of dietary outcomes, nutritional status, and QoL were evaluated after the intervention.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of demographic and clinical characteristics and baseline physical function. After the intervention, patients in the IG showed a more rapid growth in daily total oral caloric intake and the ratio of oral calorie intake to total calorie required by the body (K/R value) from POD 1 to POD 14, and less weight loss (1.5 ± 1 versus 2.1 ± 1.7 kg; P < 0.05), better serum prealbumin (193.0 ± 26.9 versus 139.3 ± 27.2 mg/L; P < 0.05) than the CG with statistical significance. By the second week of the intervention, IG patients reported higher global QoL and function scores and lower symptom scores than patients in the CG. The IG participants presented a shorter time to first flatus and bowel movement (P < 0.001), a shorter postoperative hospital length of stay, and higher activities of daily living scores (P < 0.05) the those in the CG.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings demonstrated that the early, quantified, modified oral feeding protocol can alleviate postoperative body weight loss, improve the patient's nutritional status, and have a positive effect on QoL and early recovery for patients undergoing MIE.

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

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 < .001). The analysis showed that the participants in the IG compared with the CG have more total caloric intake of 24 hours and higher K/R (the ratio of calories oral achieved to total calories required of body) significantly from D1 to D7 of intervention (P < .05).

Conclusion

The findings suggest that the Chin‐down‐plus‐larynx‐tightening maneuver can improve swallowing function recovery and oral total food intake and calories in EC patients undergoing MIE.