Jeremy Richmon, MD

Minjee Kim, MD

While transoral robotic surgery (TORS) has transformed the treatment of early-stage oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (a type of throat cancer), questions have persisted about a common side effect: Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia).

One such question is whether early swallow rehabilitation with a speech language pathologist (SLP) can meaningfully shape recovery after TORS.

In a new study out of Mass Eye and Ear—led by co-first authors Emilie C. M. de Groot, MD, and Minjee Kim, MD, along with senior author Jeremy Richmon, MD—researchers set out to answer that question by pairing objective swallowing studies with patient‑reported outcomes in a large cohort.

The team reviewed 212 adults who underwent TORS at Mass Eye and Ear over seven years, all of whom received standardized pre- and postoperative swallow assessments, including videofluoroscopic swallow studies (VFSS) and patient questionnaires.

The results were reassuring: Nearly all patients (96.7%) resumed oral intake before discharge, and while 6.6% required temporary feeding tubes, only four patients were discharged with one in place. After six weeks, 95% of TORS patients were back on soft or regular diets, and fewer than 10% showed any measurable physiologic decline on VFSS.

However, many patients reported feeling worse than they functioned. Subjective complaints of impaired swallowing were far more common than objective deficits, likely reflecting postoperative pain rather than true dysfunction.

The authors highlight this perception–reality gap as a critical opportunity for early SLP counseling and intervention.

Their findings reinforce the value of Mass Eye and Ear’s integrated care model: Early SLP involvement helps patients recover swallowing sooner, discharge safely and rarely require feeding tubes.

Published in JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery on April 16, 2026 | Read the paper: “Swallowing Function and Perioperative Complications After Transoral Robotic Surgery”

Summary reviewed by: Jeremy D. Richmon, MD, senior author