New feeding tube method may help tracheotomy patients swallow again and remove breathing tube sooner

This study compares two ways of feeding patients who have a tracheotomy (a tube in the windpipe) and swallowing problems caused by nerve damage. One method uses a tube placed through the mouth into the esophagus (intermittent oro-esophageal, or IOE), while the other uses a tube through the nose into the intestine. The main goal is to see which method helps patients remove their tracheotomy tube faster and improves swallowing safety. The trial enrolls 140 adults whose acute illness has passed and who are ready to start the decannulation process.