The group was given enteral nutritional support with Intermittent Oro-esophageal Tube according to the following procedure. The feeding content was formulated by the nutritionists based on the condition and relevant guidelines to reach the energy demand as 20-25 kcal/kg/day and protein supplementation of 1.2-2.0 g/kg/day for both two groups

the group was given enteral nutritional support with Nasogastric Tube according to the relevant guidelines. Within 4 hours after admission, the placement of the feeding tube was conducted by professional medical staffs and after intubation, the tube was secured to the cheek with medical tape. The feeding was conducted once every 3-4 hours, with 200-300ml each time. The total feeding volume was determined based on daily requirements.

Before each feeding, inside and outside of the tube was cleaned with water. During feeding, the patient should maintain a semi-reclining or sitting position with mouth opened, and the tube was inserted slowly and smoothly into the upper part of the esophagus by medical staffs while the appropriate depth of intubation was checked with the calibration markings on the tube wall. The distance from the incisors to the head part of the tube should be between 22-25 cm.

Swallowing Quality of Life questionnaire was used to evaluate the quality of life, which consists of 44 items and divided into 11 main domains, including: overall satisfaction, understanding, diet, hydration, communication, respiratory issues, postoperative recovery, social impact, mental health, saliva control, and appearance. The maximum rough score was 220 points, which was converted into a standard percentage system in our study. As the scores increased, the quality of life was better.