Effects of TheraBite® exercises on trismus in head and neck oncology patients

Kamstra, J.I. (2010) Effects of TheraBite® exercises on trismus in head and neck oncology patients. thesis, Dentistry.

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Abstract

Background Trismus, a restricted mouth opening, related to head and neck cancer is difficult to treat. Different methods to treat trismus that claimed to have a positive effect have been proposed. TheraBite® exercises have been analyzed in studies with small sample sizes and short followup. The aim of this study is to analyze the effects of TheraBite® exercises on trismus in head and neck cancer patients and to analyze prognostic factors modifying these effects. Methods Patients with a restricted mouth opening, who were treated between 2004 and 2008 for head and neck cancer in the St Radboud University Medical Centre Nijmegen (UMCN) and the University Medical Centre Groningen (UMCG), were provided with a TheraBite®. Mouth opening was assessed before the exercises and during the last follow-up appointment. Patient, tumor, and treatment characteristics were analyzed to examine their relationship with change in mouth opening. Variables univariately associated (p<0.05) with change in mouth opening were entered in a multivariate linear regression analysis, with change in mouth opening as dependent variable. Results In total 57 patients were included, mean age was 54.4 years (sd 15.4) and initial mouth opening was 21.8 mm (sd 6.5). The interval between last oncological treatment and start TheraBite® exercises was 17.5 months (42.6) Mean increase in mouth opening was 5.7 mm (sd 5.7), effect size was 0.9. Interval (in months) between last oncological treatment and start TheraBite® exercises and interval squared were the only variables that predicted the change in mouth opening in the regression analysis (r2=0.19). Change in mouth opening=7.1 - 0.2 * interval+ 0.001 * (interval * interval). Conclusion The extension of interval between last oncological treatment and the start of TheraBite® exercises influences increase in mouth opening negatively. Patients should be informed about expected results after TheraBite® exercises, the average increase in mouth opening was 5.7 mm

Item Type:	Thesis (Thesis)
Supervisor name:	Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Med and University of Groningen, Groningen and Center for Rehabilitation, University Medical Center Groning and Groningen, The Netherlands
Supervisor name:	Department of Physiotherapy, St Radboud University Medical C and University, Nijmegen
Faculty:	Medical Sciences
Date Deposited:	25 Jun 2020 10:48
Last Modified:	25 Jun 2020 10:48
URI:	https://umcg.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/953

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