Klaske van Sluis

CHAPTER 7 Expiratory muscle strength training in patients after total laryngectomy; a feasibility pilot study Abstract Objectives: Expiratory muscle strength training (EMST) is a threshold based device-driven treatment for improving expiratory pressure. EMST proved to be effective in different patient groups to improve cough function. To date, EMST has not been tested in the total laryngectomy population (TL). Methods: This prospective, randomized case-series study examined feasibil- ity, safety, and compliance of EMST in a group of TL participants and its effects on pulmonary function, physical exertion, fatigue, and vocal functioning. Ten TL participants were included in the study to perform a four till eight weeks of EMST. Objective and subjective outcome measures included manometry, spirometry, cardio pulmonary exercise testing (CPET), voice recordings, and patient reported outcome measures. Group means were reported and estimates of the effect are shown with a 95% confidence interval, using single sample t-tests. Results: Nine participants completed the full study protocol. Compliance to the training program was high. All were able to perform the training, although 0 Appeared as: van Sluis, K.E., Kornman, A.F., Groen, W.G., van den Brekel, M.W.M., van der Molen, L., Hoffman-Ruddy, B., Stuiver, M.M. “Expiratory muscle strength training in patients after total laryngectomy; a feasibility pilot study.” Annals of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology , epub ahead of print, 2020.