Table 1.

An Example Demonstrating How Definitions Are Scored Using a 4-Point Rating System.

Definition	Criterion A	Criterion B	Criterion C	Criterion D
Difficulty swallowing	✓
Patient-reported and laryngoscope-confirmed difficulty swallowing	✓	✓
Patient-reported and laryngoscope-confirmed difficulty swallowing; mild defined as rare swallowing discomfort for solids, moderate as occasional swallowing discomfort for specific solid foods and severe as frequent swallowing discomfort for solids and rare discomfort with liquids	✓	✓	✓
Patient-reported and laryngoscope-confirmed difficulty swallowing within 30 days of surgery; mild defined as rare swallowing discomfort for solids, moderate as occasional swallowing discomfort for specific solid foods and severe as frequent swallowing discomfort for solids and rare discomfort with liquids	✓	✓	✓	✓