Study of a Behavioral Program to Improve Swallowing and Voice After Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion ACDF Surgery

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating whether a behavioral health program can improve swallowing and voice outcomes in patients undergoing Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion ACDF surgery. This prospective study enrolls patients having primary ACDF surgery and aims to determine if the program helps prevent swallowing and voice difficulties six weeks after surgery. The research is conducted at NYU Langone and focuses on dysphagia, which affects swallowing ability. Participants will receive a behavioral intervention program including hydration counseling, protein supplementation, and daily pharyngeallaryngeal exercises for seven weeks total. This begins one week before surgery and continues for six weeks afterward. Weekly 45-minute sessions with a speech-language pathologist start about one week post-surgery and last for six weeks. The study compares these patients to historical controls who had ACDF surgery but did not receive the intervention. During the study, participants will undergo swallowing assessments using videofluoroscopy before surgery and six weeks after. Acoustic voice samples and patient-reported measures for swallowing and voice will also be collected at these times. Researchers will track adherence to hydration goals via a daily log. The main outcomes measured include changes in swallowing function and voice quality from baseline to six weeks post-operation. The total study duration for each participant is seven weeks.

Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF) - Behavioral Intervention