Trismus Prevention and Treatment for Head & Neck for Cancer and Radiation Patients - Presentation at ASHA 2016

Following are the slides for a presentation on Preventing and Treating Trismus after surgery or radiation for head and neck cancer. This was presented as a technical review at the 2016 ASHA national convention in Philadelphia. There was an accompanying 3-page handout linked here. This presentation was tailored for Speech Pathologists (SLPs) working with head & neck patients.



The presentation covered topics including: 

• What is trismus?
  
• The serious consequences from trismus, especially medical complications like a compromised airway,  intubation problems, and disrupted medical treatments.
  
• Baseline: What is the "normal" or average opening?  
  
• How do you measure the mouth opening?  Jaw scales for maximum-interincisal opening (MIO) or oral range-of-motion (ROM).
  
• How do you diagnose trismus?  What is the clinical definition? 
  
• What are the head & neck cancer risk factors for trismus?
  
• What is radiation fibrosis and how does it progress? 
  
• What is the incidence of trismus? 
  
• When to be on guard for trismus?  Who is at highest risk?  How to prevent it?
  
• How do you treat a patient that is already showing a reduced opening?  How to treat trismus.
  
• What devices are available to prevent and treat trismus?  A review, including the OraStretch press and TheraBite systems.
  
• How do you use a jaw motion rehab system like the OraStretch press?
  
• What other options are available?
• When should you order a jaw motion rehab system to prevent trismus?  A rubric or algorithm for recommending prevention vs. observation to wait and see if the patient develops trismus.
  
• How to order a jaw motion rehab system?  Does insurance cover the devices? 
  
• More information and references are available at CranioRehab.com