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Salt Water Gargling After ACDF Surgery

This study is looking at whether gargling with salt water (sodium chloride) can help reduce swallowing difficulties after a neck surgery called anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). ACDF is a common surgery for conditions like a degenerating spine or pinched nerves in the neck (cervical radiculopathy, cervical stenosis, cervical spondylosis, cervical myelopathy). Researchers want to see if warm salt water gargles can make it easier to swallow for patients aged 18 to 80 who are having a multi-level ACDF procedure at Keck Medical Center of USC. The main goal is to see if participants have a better quality of life related to swallowing, measured within one month after surgery. The study plans to enroll 50 participants, but its current status is unclear.

Study design
This is a randomized control trial, meaning participants will be assigned by chance to either gargle with salt water or a control group. It plans to enroll 50 participants.
What's involved
Not specified in the trial record.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Participants will be followed for up to one month after surgery to measure their swallowing quality of life.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT06475365

Salt Water Gargling on Swallowing Following ACDF

Enrolling by Invitation
NAAges 18–80InterventionalSupportive care
University of Southern California
~50 participants
Updated 2025-07-18 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Sodium chloride gargle

At a glance

Recruiting sites
0 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Number of Participants with a SWAL-QOL Score of Greater Than 14
Measured over 0 - 1 month

Conditions

Degeneration Spine
Cervical Radiculopathy
Cervical Stenosis
Cervical Spondylosis
Cervical Myelopathy
Dysphagia

Explore related trials

Anterior Cervical Discectomy and FusionCervical spondylosisDysphagia

NCT06475365

Where you'd take part

This study runs at 1 site. They're the same protocol — you choose where, and that choice sets who your contact draft is addressed to.

  • Keck Medical Center of the University of Southern California

    Los Angeles, Californiano site contact published

Sites open and close at different times, so the status above is per site — it can differ from the study's overall status.

Study leadership

  • Ram K Alluri, M.D. · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Assistant Professor of Clinical Orthopaedic Surgery

Who to contact

This trial hasn't published a contact. View it on ClinicalTrials.gov

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Patients ≥ 18 years of age
Patients undergoing a multi-level (2-, 3-, or 4-level) ACDF procedure
Single-approach (anterior only) ACDF - English or Spanish-speaking patients
Undergoing treatment at Keck Medical Center of USC

Exclusion

Patients ≤ 18 years of age
Patients undergoing any revision ACDF procedure
Patients undergoing ACDF with combined approaches (i.e. anterior + posterior)
Patients with spinal pathologies or deformities that are non-degenerative or idiopathic (i.e. trauma, infection, malignancy, or tumor)
Patients with a prior diagnosis related to swallowing issues (i.e. esophagitis, Barrett's esophagus, Sjogren syndrome, multiple sclerosis (MS), or laryngitis)
Patients with an American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score ≥ 4

What this trial measures

  • Number of Participants with a SWAL-QOL Score of Greater Than 140 - 1 month

    The Swallowing-Related Quality of Life (SWAL-QOL) questionnaire is a 44-question assessment that measures the severity of oropharyngeal dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) and the impact it has on quality of life. Patients with score of greater than or equal to 14 are indicative of have some sort of difficulty with swallowing. This will be used to assess if patients in the Salt Water Gargle arm (intervention) have any relief after completing the described intervention.