Telemedicine‐enabled biofeedback electropalatography rehabilitation (TEBER): A pilot study for patients treated with surgery for oral cavity carcinoma

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundTo address the rehabilitative barriers to frequency and precision of care, we conducted a pilot study of a biofeedback electropalatography (EPG) device paired with telemedicine for patients who underwent primary surgery +/− adjuvant radiation for oral cavity carcinoma. We hypothesized that lingual optimization followed by telemedicine‐enabled biofeedback electropalatography rehabilitation (TEBER) would further improve speech and swallowing outcomes after “standard‐of‐care” SOC rehabilitation.MethodPilot prospective 8‐week (TEBER) program following 8 weeks of (SOC) rehabilitation.ResultsTwenty‐seven patients were included and 11 completed the protocol. When examining the benefit of TEBER independent of standard of care, “range‐of‐liquids” improved by +0.36 [95% CI, 0.02–0.70, p = 0.05] and “range‐of‐solids” improved by +0.73 [95% CI, 0.12–1.34, p = 0.03]. There was a positive trend toward better oral cavity obliteration; residual volume decreased by −1.2 [95% CI, −2.45 to 0.053, p = 0.06], and “nutritional‐mode” increased by +0.55 [95% CI, −0.15 to 1.24, p = 0.08].ConclusionThis pilot suggests that TEBER bolsters oral rehabilitation after 8 weeks of SOC lingual range of motion.