Inpatient care
Postoperative pain, swelling
CAVITY
Patients were transferred to intensive care unit (ICU) for airway monitoring after surgical treatment. The endotracheal tube was usually removed within the first 2 days after surgery if the swelling of the oral cavity allowed spontaneous breathing. As soon as the patient was stabilized hemodynamically and endotracheal tube was removed, transfer to surgical ward was conducted. In the first week after surgery, nutrition was managed using a nasogastric tube. If the patient was not able to eat soft or liquid food for longer than 1 week, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy was performed. During stay in surgical ward, speech and language therapists as well as physical therapists performed daily therapy to enable fast rehabilitation. Postoperative pain was managed using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and transdermal fentanyl patches (usually 12 µg/h every third day).