NCT03145740

Intensive Faciltiation of Swallowing in Patients With Severe Dysphagia After Acquired Brain Injury

The Effect of Intensive Facial Oral Tract Therapy (F.O.T.T.®) on Swallowing Function in Patients After Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 10 (actual)
• Sponsor: Rigshospitalet, Denmark · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This study is a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Patients after severe acquired brain injury (ABI) were randomised in addition to the individual daily rehabilitation program to intensive Facial Oral Tract Therapy (F.O.T.T.®) (intervention group) or unspecific treatment: washing face, brushing teeth, without facilitating swallowing (control group). The duration of the intervention period was 15 working days (3 weeks). The intervention in both groups was twice a day.

Detailed description

The F.O.T.T.® approach uses structured tactile input and facilitation techniques in meaningful everyday life context, aiming for improving function in the face and oral tract that is as normal as possible. The goal is maximum participation in daily life. The treatment encourages learning of helpful functional movements or patterns of movement for safe swallowing, protection of airway, oral hygiene, eating, drinking, breathing, voice and articulation.

Conditions

• Deglutition Disorders

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Intensive F.O.T.T.®	Therapeutic F.O.T.T.® intervention provided by Occupational Therapists (OTs). The intervention consists of positioning the patient, and giving sensory input to the hands and face in order to stimulate and facilitate swallowing of saliva or small amounts of food and drink, if considered safe.
OTHER	Unspecific Stimulation of face and mouth	The intervention consists of positioning the patient and either washing his face, the hands, or brushing teeth, apply lipbalm, with no specific stimulation or facilitation of swallowing

Timeline

• Start date: 2014-04-01
• Primary completion: 2016-12-01
• Completion: 2016-12-01
• First posted: 2017-05-09
• Last updated: 2017-05-09