Talk Description
Institution: Canberra Hospital - ACT, Australia
Aim:Trismus is a common and debilitating sequela of head and neck cancer treatment, yet the patient’s perspective on trismus devices is both unknown and critical to inform personalised rehabilitation strategies. The primary aim of this study was to explore patient experiences of different trismus rehabilitation devices following head and neck cancer treatment.
Methodology: This Australian multicentre study was embedded within two prospective randomised controlled trials. Twenty-four participants were recruited from seven head and neck cancer centres across three states and territories and had undergone single or multimodality treatment for primary head and neck cancer. Participants were purposefully sampled to capture experiences across all trismus rehabilitation devices. Semi-structured interviews were conducted via teleconference or telephone. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis with a structured coding framework. Barriers and facilitators of using three devices: Restorabite™, TheraBite® Jaw Motion Rehabilitation System, and stacked tongue depressors were assessed.
Results: From the twenty-four interviews, five themes relating to patient experience with trismus rehabilitation were identified: (1) perceived impact of trismus on function and quality of life; (2) the role of clinician support for integrating exercises into daily routines; (3) device specific factors including pain, fit, portability and cost (4) patient driven recommendations for device modification and (5) individual patient factors relevant to personalised device selection.
Conclusion: Patient experiences and engagement with trismus rehabilitation devices are shaped by complex interactions between intrapersonal factors, severity of sequelae, and device-specific characteristics. These findings highlight the importance of personalised rehabilitation strategies and provide a practical guide for clinicians when selecting the most appropriate device to optimise engagement in trismus rehabilitation.
Presenters
Authors
Authors
Miss Siobhan Gleeson - , Dr Emma Charters - , Ashleigh R Sharman - , Dr Alexander M Bobinskas - , Dr Jacqui Frowen - , Jessica Boehm - , Sarah Poke - , Lee Pryor - , Lydia Natsis -