Objective: To construct a prognostic model for unsuccessful removal of nasogastric tube (NGT) was the aim of our study.Methods: This study examined patients with swallowing disorders receiving NGT feeding due to stroke or traumatic brain injury in a regional hospital. Clinical data was collected, such as age, sex, body mass index (BMI), level of activities of daily living (ADLs) dependence. Additionally, gather information regarding the enhancement in Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS) levels and the increase in food types according to the International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative (IDDSI) after one month of swallowing training. A stepwise logistic regression analysis model was employed to predict NGT removal failure using these parameters.Results: Out of 203 patients, 53 patients (26.1%) had experienced a failed removal of NGT after six months of follow-up. The strongest predictors for failed removal were age over 60 years, underweight BMI, total dependence in ADLs, and ischemic stroke. The admission prediction model categorized patients into high, moderate, and low-risk groups for removal failure. The failure rate of NGT removal was high not only in the high-risk group but also in the moderate-risk groups when there was no improvement in FOIS levels and IDDSI food types.Conclusion: Our predictive model categorizes patients with brain insults into risk groups for swallowing disorders, enabling advanced interventions such as percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy for high-risk patients struggling with NGT removal, while follow-up assessments using FOIS and IDDSI aid in guiding rehabilitation decisions for those at moderate risk.

Background/Objectives: Frozen shoulder is a common shoulder disorder that often places limitations on the range of motion of the shoulder. The disease may induce neck pain due to overuse of the neck muscle in an attempt to compensate for lack of shoulder movement. In clinical practice, swelling and inflammation of the scalene and levator scapulae may be detected via sonography in patients with frozen shoulder. The aim of this study was, therefore, to determine whether the involvement of the scalene complex or levator scapulae could compensate for the limited motion of the shoulder in patients with frozen shoulder. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 362 patients with unilateral frozen shoulder. These patients were divided into four groups depending on the involvement of the scalene complex or levator scapulae muscle. The range of motion of the shoulder—encompassing flexion, abduction, and external rotation—was measured with a goniometer. We also performed an ultrasound scan on each shoulder. The involvement of the scalene complex and levator scapulae muscle was also assessed via musculoskeletal ultrasound. Results: The range of motion of the shoulder in terms of flexion, abduction, external rotation, and total range of motion differed significantly between the four groups (p < 0.05). Patients in whom the scalene complex or levator scapulae muscle was involved demonstrated a significantly wider range of motion in different shoulder directions than patients without the involvement of those muscles (p < 0.05). Conclusions: A greater range of motion in the shoulder can be obtained through the activation of the scalene complex or levator scapulae muscle, which act to compensate for the lack of shoulder movement in patients with frozen shoulder. These two muscles showed thickening and hypoechoic changes upon sonography.