Effectiveness of Hydrogen Water Intervention on Acute Oral Inflammation, Oral Microbiota, and Pain Following Free Flap Reconstruction in Patients With Oral Cancer
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Hydrogen Water Oral Care, Water Oral Care.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC), Postoperative Pain, Postoperative Oral Mucositis, Free Flap Reconstruction. Basic parameters: from 18 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Overview
This study employs a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) design. Patients diagnosed with oral cancer by the attending physician and who meet the inclusion criteria will be admitted to the study after receiving a full explanation of the study objectives, intervention methods, potential risks, and participant rights from the research team upon their stable transfer to the plastic surgery ward post-operation. Written consent will be obtained from the patient and/or their legally authorized representative after adequate informed consent has been provided, before they are enrolled in the study.
Detailed description
The study adopts a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) design. Patients diagnosed with oral cancer by the attending physician and who meet the inclusion criteria are enrolled in the study upon their stable transfer from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to the plastic surgery ward post-operation.
The research team will personally explain the study objectives, intervention methods, potential risks, and participant rights to the subjects (and/or their legally authorized representatives) and provide written documentation. After addressing all questions, informed consent is obtained, and the subject is enrolled in the study.
Subjects are then assigned via computer-generated randomization at a 1:1 ratio. The experimental group (18 individuals) receives hydrogen-rich water oral care. The hydrogen-rich water is delivered daily after its concentration is measured.
Oral integrity is assessed using the Oral Assessment Guide (OAG), which includes 6 items: lips, tongue, saliva, oral mucosa, gums, and teeth, scored from 1 to 3 points. The minimum score is 6, and the maximum score is 18.
Oral care frequency is based on the OAG score:
6-10 points: Oral care once per shift. 11-14 points: Oral care once every 4 hours. 15-18 points: Oral care once every 2 hours. Oral care involves using a sponge toothbrush dipped in hydrogen-rich water (concentration 1.1 mg/L) to gently brush the mucosa, maxilla/mandible (upper/lower jaws), and tongue. This is continuously performed for 7 days.
The control group (18 individuals) receives plain boiled water for oral care, with the same frequency as the experimental group. The research team will daily record the subjects' compliance and any adverse reactions.
During the intervention period, both groups receive identical postoperative care and health education in the plastic surgery ward.
The research team will collect the first sample (pre-test, T0) when the patient is transferred from the ICU to the plastic surgery ward, and the second sample on the 7th day post-operation (T1). Saliva samples will be collected at both time points to evaluate oral inflammatory markers (such as IL-1$\\beta$, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α) and the oral microbiome (analyzed by RT-PCR detection of the 16S rRNA gene sequence)
Interventions
- Other Hydrogen Water Oral Care
The research team provided hydrogen water daily according to group assignment. The hydrogen water used in this study contained 1.1 mg/L of dissolved hydrogen with a stability of no less than 12 hours. Participants performed oral care using the hydrogen water following standardized instructions. Saliva samples were collected at T0 (immediately after randomization) and T1 (Day 7 of the intervention) to assess changes in inflammatory markers, oral microbial composition, and pain levels during the i - Other Water Oral Care
The research team provided tap water for oral care daily, following the same procedures, frequency, and schedule as the experimental group, but without the active hydrogen component. Saliva samples were collected at T0 (immediately after randomization) and T1 (Day 7 of the intervention) to establish a placebo-controlled comparison of outcomes related to inflammatory markers, microbial profiles, and pain.
Primary outcome measures
- IL-1β、IL-6、IL-10、TNF-α [Time frame: Baseline (T0) and Day 7 (T1)]
- Oral Assessment Guide (OAG) Score [Time frame: Baseline (T0) and Day 7 (T1)]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Diagnosed with oral cancer and receiving microsurgical free flap reconstruction.
- Age 18 years or older.
- Conscious and able to follow study instructions.
- Able to communicate without difficulty in Mandarin, Taiwanese, or through written communication.
Exclusion criteria
- Abnormal salivary gland function or severe xerostomia.
- Recent use of antibacterial mouthwash or antibiotic therapy that may affect oral microbiota.
- Presence of severe bacterial or viral oral infections, or significant periodontal disease.
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Model
- Parallel assignment
- Masking
- Double blind
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
Study locations
Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07306546 · KMUHIRB-F(II)-20250332