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Completed

NCT Number: NCT02848664

Use of the Passy Muir Swallowing Self Trainer

The purpose of this study is to develop appropriate training methods and gather participant feedback on their use of the Passy Muir Swallowing Self-Training Device (PMSST). The PMSST is a small device that provides external vibratory stimulation to the larynx during swallowing and swallowing training. A secondary purpose of the study is to determine how 3 months of use of the PMSST affects swallowing physiology, brain activation, oral intake and quality of life. This was an uncontrolled pilot study aimed at gaining patient feedback on use of the vibratory device.

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Key information

Conditions

Stroke Brain Diseases Brain Injuries Brain Injury Cardiovascular Diseases Central Nervous System Diseases Cerebrovascular Disorders Craniocerebral Trauma Head and Neck Cancer Head and Neck Neoplasms Neoplasms Neoplasms by Site Nervous System Diseases Trauma, Nervous System Vascular Diseases Wounds and Injuries

Age range

13 year–100 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, Virginia, 22807, United States

About this study

The investigators are currently developing the Passy Muir Swallowing Self-Trainer to continue treatment of dysphagia after the patient is discharged to home. The self-training device is worn around the neck with motors placed externally on the skin over the thyroid cartilage to provide vibratory stimulation to the larynx. The vibrations activate the sensory receptors inside the larynx which excite central nervous system (CNS) control for swallowing and can help the patient to initiate swallowing. Patients can use the self-training device at home to promote swallowing rehabilitation during daily swallowing practice. The device can also be programmed to vibrate at regular intervals throughout the day to promote saliva swallows. Using this method, the patient can continue their swallowing therapy independently and in a manner that is cost effective. A previous Phase I trial compared the clinical outcomes of 8 patients with chronic dysphagia using either an intramuscular electrical stimulation implant device or an external vibratory stimulator to practice swallowing daily at home. Functional outcomes of oral intake improved with both devices. As the external vibratory stimulation has the advantage of being external and completely noninvasive, it has been selected for further development as a self-training device. A second pilot study examined the effect of different frequencies of vibration on the swallowing frequency of healthy participants and found swallowing rate significantly increased from baseline when using a vibration of either 70 Hz or 150 Hz (Mulheren and Ludlow, 2017). Data has also been collected on the effect of different vibration characteristics on swallowing in participants who have swallowing problems after stroke (Kamarunas et al., in press).

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to allow patients with chronic dysphagia to use the Self-Trainer for daily swallowing practice in their home and collect feedback on device use and satisfaction and use. Objective information on the effectiveness of self-training for swallowing rehabilitation will also be gathered.

Objectives:

  • To develop and evaluate training for participants and caregivers to use the self-trainer.
  • To gather participant feedback on the use of the device after 3 months of daily practice.
  • To determine how 3 months of daily practice with the Passy Muir Swallowing Self-Trainer affects swallowing physiology, brain activation, oral intake, and quality of life in participants with chronic dysphagia.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • 13 years or older
  • Stable medical condition
  • Diagnosed with oropharyngeal dysphagia confirmed by Modified Barium Swallow (MBS) baseline measure of the follow two scales:
  • Penetration-Aspiration Scale score of 2 or greater verified by modified barium swallow (Rosenbek et al., 1996) and/or
  • Functional Oral Intake Scale score of 5 or lower (Crary et al., 2005)
  • Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of 23 or greater indicating cognitive ability to follow directions and communicate preferences
  • Willingness to travel to Sentara Rockingham Memorial Hospital 2 or more times to undergo initial evaluation, device use training and checkup at 3 months.

Exclusion criteria

  • Pregnancy
  • Cardiac problems
  • history of cardiac rhythm condition (including heart murmur or cardiac arrhythmia)
  • cardiac pacemaker in place
  • Highly-pigmented (dark) skin color is an exclusion criterion because near-infrared spectroscopy requires the measurement of the degree of absorption of different wavelengths of light after being reflected back through the scalp. Highly pigmented skin interferes with wavelength transmission, making the measurement of changes in absorption inaccurate.
  • Lack of a primary care physician who can be contacted if there are findings on the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan.
  • Presence of metal in the body (prostheses, electrodes, shrapnel, aneurism clips, other medical hardware)
  • Presence of certain tattoos with ferromagnetic metal or permanent makeup, due to the exposure to high magnetic force through MRI procedures.
  • Subjects who were metal workers as a previous occupation will also be excluded due to the possibility of unknown/undetected metal in their body.
  • Volunteers with broken skin in the area that the functional Near Infra-Red Spectroscopy (fNIRS) probes will be placed on the scalp
  • Claustrophobia
  • Previous surgery that used surgical staples
  • Artificial joints

Treatment and study plan

Dysphagia retraining with device

Device

Patients used the device for 60 trials of retraining swallowing at home each day and also had the device turned on throughout the day in automatic mode to intermittently trigger every few minutes to trigger a swallow for saliva control

Other names: Passy Muir Swallowing Self Trainer

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in Dysphagia Outcome and Severity Scale (DOSS) Rating

    Time frame: From before onset of device use to return 3 months later

    An ordinal scale of 7 levels of severity of swallowing disorder with 1 being the lowest level and 7 being the highest level.

    Level 1 is Severe dysphagia Nothing per oral and unable to tolerate any per oral liquid/substance safely.

    Level 2 is Moderately severe dysphagia, requires maximum assistance or use of strategies with partial per oral only, tolerates at least one consistency safely with total use of strategies.

    Level 3 is Moderate Dysphagia, requires total assist, supervision, or strategies with two or more consistencies restricted.

    Level 4 is Mild-moderate Dysphagia, Requires intermittent supervision/cueing, one or two consistencies restricted level 5 is Mild dysphagia: requires distant supervision may need one diet consistency restricted Level 6 Within functional limits, modified independence Level 7 Normal in all situations

  2. Dysphagia Handicap Index (DHI)

    Time frame: From before onset of device use to return 3 months later

    Total handicap Score from 0 (no Handicap) to 100 (Severe Handicap)

Secondary outcomes

  1. Laryngeal Elevation Relative to Hyoid Elevation for Vestibule Closure

    Time frame: From before onset of device use to return 3 months later

    Calibrated kinematic measures from videofluoroscopic imaging during a modified barium swallow study. Computed the change in peak elevation in millimeters during swallowing from the rest position before swallowing for two structures: the larynx and the hyoid bone. The peak elevation of the two structures were compared by subtracting the hyoid peak elevation from the laryngeal peak elevation. If the measure was positive the larynx was elevated to a greater degree than the hyoid bone resulting in vestibule closure and airway protection during the swallow.

  2. Cortical Activation for Swallowing

    Time frame: From before onset of device use to return 3 months later

    The level of cortical activation for swallowing was measured using near infra-red spectroscopy. Overall blood oxygenation level during swallowing was compared with the level during a non activation period prior to swallowing. To compute Z scores, the change in overall level between swallowing and prior to swallowing was divided by the standard deviation of the level prior to swallowing. The Z scores measured prior to and post device use for 3 months were compared.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

James Madison University

Other

Collaborators

  • Passy Muir Inc.

Registry information

Official study title

Study of the Use of the Passy Muir Swallowing Self Trainer by Persons With Dysphagia

Important dates

Study start
2013
Primary completion
2015
Study completion
2015
First posted
Jul 28, 2016
Registry last updated
Mar 11, 2019

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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