I was first excited, then downright disappointed to read this thread when I realized it was just another story about throat dilation, albeit with a surgical twist. My understanding is that this technique will do nothing for the majority of oral cancer patients with swallowing problems and perhaps only a handful of those with feeding tubes. I'm glad that Jen, the speech language pathologist, pointed this out indirectly in her oh so tactful post.
Additionally, this news paper incorrectly limits aphagia which occurs for many reasons, not simply a blocked esophagus.
Still, I don't begrudge anybody a second chance to actually eat after being consigned to a feeding tube. Oh well, I can always hope there will be a similar breakthru for the majority of tube feeders.
Charm