Pharyngeal Phase Research Articles

Dynamic evaluation of swallowing in pediatric patients with dysphagia: The Brazilian perspective.

Dynamic Evaluation of Swallowing (DES) is an exam which provides invaluable information on the swallowing function. This review describes the requirements, protocols and processes for DES in regions of Brazil. Dysphagia is a swallowing abnormality, in one or more swallowing phases, with risk and/or occurrence of aspiration, damage regarding nutrition and/or hydration and possible need of nonoral feeding methods. DES is performed in an armored room, using fluoroscopy, with the patient in lateral and anteroposterior views, in an orthostatic position. Different consistencies and volumes are tested, depending on the patient's age, complaint and clinical conditions. Its main objective is to determine if the patient can safely eat orally, is able to meet his basic nutritional and hydration needs, or if alternative means of feeding are necessary. It allows anatomical observation of structures, and the dynamics of swallowing during oral, pharyngeal and esophageal phases, in real time. The DES is used worldwide for pediatric patients, from newborns to adolescents, for a complete assessment. In Brazil, the exam is the state of the art in the functional evaluation of swallowing, however it is only available to a fraction of the population, mostly in the largest, and economically developed cities, and usually restricted to major health centers and teaching hospitals. Implementing DES in healthcare units requires radiological equipment, infrastructure standards, availability and training of personnel, as well as specialized physicians, and speech-language pathologists. For these reasons, our services face daily challenges while managing long scheduling waiting lists.

Dysphagia in cervical spinal cord injury: How international literature trends can guide South African practice patterns - A scoping review.

BackgroundThe limited data regarding dysphagia in high-level spinal cord injuries (SCIs) stem from economically developed countries. Dysphagia is prevalent in patients with cervical SCI; however, in a South African context, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are not seen as key when managing this population. This may result in patients not being screened or identified early, leading to possible complications. The literature could provide useful insight on how best to address this clinical gap.ObjectivesThe aim of my study was to conduct a scoping review on the description of dysphagia, the risk factors for developing dysphagia post-SCI and the practice patterns of team members working with dysphagia in cervical SCIs.MethodsA five-step scoping review was undertaken. Data were analysed by using descriptive statistics as well as a thematic analysis by using a top-down approach.ResultsThrough the process of screening according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 25 articles were included. Primarily, the pharyngeal phase was affected, which can lead to an aspiration pneumonia. The key risk factors were the presence of a tracheostomy tube, the use of ventilation and anterior spinal cord surgery. There was little mention regarding specific practice patterns, but an interdisciplinary approach was suggested as the most efficient model.ConclusionsSpecific guidelines and management options need to be considered for a South African context, given the high incidence of trauma-related injuries. There needs to be locally produced research, providing suggestions on how different team members can screen and identify dysphagia within this population. Solutions need to be unique, and contextually responsive and appropriate.Clinical implicationsThe team members and the roles of these different team members need to be re-examined in order to ensure the early identification and management of cervical SCI patients who are at risk of developing a dysphagia.

Correlation of Videofluoroscopic Swallowing Study Findings With Radionuclide Salivagram in Chronic Brain-Injured Patients.

Objective To investigate the correlation between videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) and radionuclide salivagram findings in chronic brain-injured patients with dysphagia.MethodsMedical records of chronic brain-injured patients who underwent radionuclide salivagram and VFSS were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups according to salivagram findings. Differences in patient characteristics and clinical factors, including Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Modified Barthel Index (MBI), Functional Ambulatory Category (FAC), feeding method, tracheostomy state, and VFSS findings between the two groups were investigated.ResultsA total of 124 patients were included in this study. There were no significant differences in MMSE, MBI, FAC, feeding method, and presence of tracheostomy between the two groups. However, the incidence of aspiration pneumonia history was significantly higher in the positive salivagram group. The Functional Dysphagia Scale (FDS) was significantly associated with positive salivagram findings, especially in the pharyngeal phase. A multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that laryngeal elevation and epiglottic closure was statistically significant FDS parameter in predicting salivary aspiration on a salivagram (odds ratio=1.100; 95% confidence interval, 1.017–1.190; p=0.018). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of FDS in the pharyngeal phase showed that an optimum sensitivity and specificity of 55.1% and 65.4%, respectively, when the cut-off value was 39.ConclusionIn chronic brain-injured patients, inappropriate laryngeal elevation and epiglottic closure is predictive variable for salivary aspiration. Therefore, performing a radionuclide salivagram in patients with FDS of 39 or less in the pharyngeal phase for prevents aspiration pneumonia from salivary aspiration.

Rapid activation of esophageal mechanoreceptors alters the pharyngeal phase of swallow: Evidence for inspiratory activity during swallow.

Swallow is a complex behavior that consists of three coordinated phases: oral, pharyngeal, and esophageal. Esophageal distension (EDist) has been shown to elicit pharyngeal swallow, but the physiologic characteristics of EDist-induced pharyngeal swallow have not been specifically described. We examined the effect of rapid EDist on oropharyngeal swallow, with and without an oral water stimulus, in spontaneously breathing, sodium pentobarbital anesthetized cats (n = 5). Electromyograms (EMGs) of activity of 8 muscles were used to evaluate swallow: mylohyoid (MyHy), geniohyoid (GeHy), thyrohyoid (ThHy), thyropharyngeus (ThPh), thyroarytenoid (ThAr), cricopharyngeus (upper esophageal sphincter: UES), parasternal (PS), and costal diaphragm (Dia). Swallow was defined as quiescence of the UES with overlapping upper airway activity, and it was analyzed across three stimulus conditions: 1) oropharyngeal water infusion only, 2) rapid esophageal distension (EDist) only, and 3) combined stimuli. Results show a significant effect of stimulus condition on swallow EMG amplitude of the mylohyoid, geniohyoid, thyroarytenoid, diaphragm, and UES muscles. Collectively, we found that, compared to rapid cervical esophageal distension alone, the stimulus condition of rapid distension combined with water infusion is correlated with increased laryngeal adductor and diaphragm swallow-related EMG activity (schluckatmung), and post-swallow UES recruitment. We hypothesize that these effects of upper esophageal distension activate the brainstem swallow network, and function to protect the airway through initiation and/or modulation of a pharyngeal swallow response.

Swallowing Outcomes Following Voice Therapy in Multiple System Atrophy with Dysphagia: Comparison of Treatment Efficacy with Parkinson\u2019s Disease

Difficulties with speech and swallowing occur in patients with Parkinsonism. Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) is proven as an effective treatment for speech and swallowing function in idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (IPD). The effect of LSVT on swallowing function in multiple system atrophy-cerebellar type (MSA-C) is unknown. We sought to determine LSVT’s effect on swallowing function in MSA-C patients compared to IPD patients. LSVT-LOUD was performed on 13 patients with Parkinsonism (6 IPD and 7 MSA-C). Maximum phonation time (MPT), voice intensity, Speech Handicap Index-15 (SHI-15), Swallowing-Quality of Life (SWAL-QOL), National Institutes of Health-swallowing safety scale (NIH-SSS), and videofluoroscopic dysphagia scale (VDS) before and after LSVT were analyzed and reevaluated three months after treatment. The IPD and MSA-C groups showed significant improvements in overall speech and swallowing measures after LSVT. In particular, pharyngeal phase score and total score of VDS improved significantly in both groups. A two-way repeated-measure ANOVA revealed a significant main effect for time in the MPT, voice intensity, NIH-SSS, pharyngeal phase score and total score of VDS, psychosocial subdomain of SHI-15, and SWAL-QOL. The MSA-C group experienced less overall improvement in swallowing function, but the two groups had an analogous pattern of improvement. In conclusion, LSVT is effective for enhancing swallowing function, particularly in the pharyngeal phase, in both IPD and MSA-C patients. This study demonstrated that LSVT elicits significant improvements in MSA-C patients. We deemed LSVT to be an effective treatment for IPD and MSA-C patients who suffer from dysphagia.

Automatic Pharyngeal Phase Recognition in Untrimmed Videofluoroscopic Swallowing Study Using Transfer Learning with Deep Convolutional Neural Networks

Background: Video fluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) is considered as the gold standard diagnostic tool for evaluating dysphagia. However, it is time consuming and labor intensive for the clinician to manually search the recorded long video image frame by frame to identify the instantaneous swallowing abnormality in VFSS images. Therefore, this study aims to present a deep leaning-based approach using transfer learning with a convolutional neural network (CNN) that automatically annotates pharyngeal phase frames in untrimmed VFSS videos such that frames need not be searched manually. Methods: To determine whether the image frame in the VFSS video is in the pharyngeal phase, a single-frame baseline architecture based the deep CNN framework is used and a transfer learning technique with fine-tuning is applied. Results: Compared with all experimental CNN models, that fine-tuned with two blocks of the VGG-16 (VGG16-FT5) model achieved the highest performance in terms of recognizing the frame of pharyngeal phase, that is, the accuracy of 93.20 (±1.25)%, sensitivity of 84.57 (±5.19)%, specificity of 94.36 (±1.21)%, AUC of 0.8947 (±0.0269) and Kappa of 0.7093 (±0.0488). Conclusions: Using appropriate and fine-tuning techniques and explainable deep learning techniques such as grad CAM, this study shows that the proposed single-frame-baseline-architecture-based deep CNN framework can yield high performances in the full automation of VFSS video analysis.

Swallowing function after severe COVID-19: early videofluoroscopic findings.

IntroductionThe aim of this paper is to describe the early findings of swallowing analysis with videofluoroscopy of swallowing (VFS).MethodsThe 21 first patients (14 men and 7 women) who recovered from ARDS in context of COVID-19 were referred to VFS just before to maximum 14 days after their discharge from ICU. The swallowing impairments and the physiopathologic mechanism of them were prospectively analyzed by two swallowing experts: one radiologist, and one phoniatrician using penetration-aspiration scale (PAS) score.ResultsNineteen out of 21 presented impairment in their swallowing function. Sixteen patients presented direct penetration or inhalation. All but one were silent. Some stases were also observed in 13 patients. Five patients presented secondary penetration/aspiration, among these inhalations, and all were silent. The most frequent findings are the delayed pharyngeal phase, the reduced propulsion of the tongue root, the posterior oral leaks, the default of laryngeal closure, and the impaired pharyngeal peristaltism.DiscussionThe very high prevalence of swallowing disorders with inhalation and the lack of protective reflexes are the main findings. This emphasizes the need of high caution with bedside screening in these patients with severely injured lungs.

Therapeutic Singing as a Swallowing Intervention in Head and Neck Cancer Patients With Dysphagia.

Background:Head and neck cancer patients often suffer from dysphagia after surgery and radiotherapy. A singing-enhanced swallowing protocol was established to improve their swallowing function. This study aimed to evaluate the beneficial effects of therapeutic singing on dysphagia in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients.Methods:Patients who participated in this study were allocated to the intervention group (15 patients) and the control group (13 patients). Patients assigned to the intervention group received therapeutic singing 3 times per week for 4 weeks. Each group was divided into 2 subgroups, including the oral cavity cancer group and the pharyngeal cancer group. The patients’ vocal functions were evaluated in maximum phonation time, pitch, intensity, jitter, shimmer, harmonics to noise ratio, and laryngeal diadochokinesis (L-DDK). To evaluate swallowing function, videofluoroscopic swallowing study was done, and the results were analyzed by videofluoroscopic dysphagia scale (VDS) and dynamic imaging grade of swallowing toxicity (DIGEST).Results:Among the voice parameters, L-DDK of the intervention group significantly increased compared to that of the control group. Swallowing functions of the intervention group were significantly improved in VDS and DIGEST after the intervention. Detailed items of VDS and DIGEST showed improvements especially in the pharyngeal phase score of VDS, such as laryngeal elevation, pharyngeal transit time, and aspiration. In addition, the pharyngeal cancer group showed significant improvements in VDS and DIGEST scores after the intervention.Conclusions:Our outcomes highlight the beneficial effects of singing for HNC patients with dysphagia. The notable improvements in the pharyngeal phase suggest that therapeutic singing would be more appropriate for HNC patients who need to improve their intrinsic muscle movements of vocal fold and laryngeal elevation.

Clinical effect of Liyan Tongqiao acupuncture in treatment of post-stroke dysphagia: an analysis based on diffusion tensor imaging

To investigate the clinical change of post-stroke dysphagia after the intervention of Liyan Tongqiao （relieving sore-throat and dredging orifices）acupuncture using cranial diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). A total of 60 patients with post-stroke dysphagia were enrolled and randomly divided into Liyan Tongqiao acupuncture group and neurology treatment group, with 30 patients in each group. The patients in the neurology treatment group were given routine neurology treatment and swallowing rehabilitation training, and those in the Liyan Tongqiao acupuncture group received acupuncture at Sishencong (EX-HN1), Baihui (GV20), bilateral Tai-yang (EX-HN5), and bilateral Fengchi (GB20) and tongue triple acupuncture, with an electroacupuncture apparatus for EX-HN1, bilateral GB20, and tongue triple acupuncture, for a needle retaining time of 30 minutes each time, once a day and 5 times a week, in addition to the treatment in the neurology treatment group. Each course of treatment was 3 weeks, and both groups were treated for 2 courses. Swallowing function assessment and cranial DTI were performed after treatment. After 6 weeks of treatment, both groups had a marked improvement in swallowing function, a significantly greater change in video fluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) score and a higher mean FA value (P<0.05). Compared with the neurology treatment group, the Liyan Tongqiao acupuncture group had a marked improvement in swallowing function, a significantly greater change in VFSS score in the pharyngeal phase and a higher mean FA value (P<0.05). Liyan Tongqiao acupuncture can improve dysphagia and swallowing function in the pharyngeal phase in VFSS, possibly by promoting the remodeling of cerebral cortex and increasing the FA value of infarct zone through the stimulation of related acupoint signals.

YAŞLI BİREYLERDE PNÖMONİ VE YUTMA FONKSİYONLARI ARASINDAKİ İLİŞKİ

Purpose: Anatomical and physiological changes due to aging decrease the efficiency of swallowing and increase the risk of aspiration pneumonia. One of the underlying causes of recurrent pneumonia is swallowing dysfunction, with aspiration. This study aimed to compare the swallowing function in elderly patients with and without pneumonia and to investigate its association with malnutrition. Methods: A total of 44 elderly individuals with 22 aspiration pneumonia history (age=73.00±7.93 years) (study group) and 22 without aspiration pneumonia history (age=70.00±6.39 years) (control group) were included in the study. The swallowing function was evaluated using the Swallowing Ability Function Evaluation (SAFE) and water-swallowing test. Nutritional assessment was performed using the Turkish version of the Mini-Nutritional Assessment. Results: Decreased swallowing ability was observed in 59.1% of the study group and 9.1% of the control group (p&amp;lt;0.001). While the study group had severe disorder the 22.7% of the oral phase and 31.8% of the pharyngeal phase, the control group had no severe disorder. However, there was a 9.1% moderate disorder in the oral and pharyngeal phases in the control group (p&amp;lt;0.001). There was a relationship between the nutritional assessment results of the study group and the oral (r=0.498, p=0.018) and pharyngeal phases of SAFE (r=0.622, p=0.002). Conclusion: Our study showed that the swallowing function is affected in the elderly with a history of pneumonia. It was also observed in the elderly without a history of pneumonia. For this reason, a detailed swallowing evaluation must be performed both elderly patients with and without pneumonia, and a protective swallowing rehabilitation program should be developed through an interdisciplinary approach.

Clinical Swallowing Profile Change in HNC Patients Treated with C/RT.

To demonstrate utility of the Mann Assessment of Swallowing Ability-Cancer (MASA-C) to describe change in swallowing ability in a cohort of HNC patients from pre-C/RT to post-C/RT to follow up at 3 months post-C/RT. An exploratory analysis compared patients treated with radiotherapy (RT) only to patients treated with chemoradiation (CRT). Prospective Cohort. The MASA-C and Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS) were completed on 85 HNC patients within the first 5 days of CRT initiation, at the completion of C/RT (6 weeks), and 3 months after completion of C/RT. MASA-C total scores and clinical profiles were used to describe change in swallowing performance at each time point. MASA-C and FOIS scores were significantly lower at 6 weeks and 3 months compared to baseline. Patients treated with CRT demonstrated more frequent and more severe dysphagia. Post C/RT items demonstrating the most deterioration included taste, diet level, oral mucosa, saliva, weight loss, and pharyngeal functions. Significant recovery was observed between 6 weeks and 3 months on both the MASA-C and FOIS. MASA-C items revealing the greatest recovery included taste, diet level, oral mucosa, tongue movement, weight loss, oral transit, voice, and pharyngeal phase. Few significant differences were noted between RT and CRT cases at 3 months. Swallowing functions deteriorate significantly following C/RT with incomplete recovery at 3 months. Few differences were noted between RT and CRT treated patients at 3 months. Clinical profiling with the MASA-C provides a standard, simple method to document swallow function change over time in these patients. 2 Laryngoscope, 131:E1873-E1880, 2021.

Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing in Breastfeeding Infants With Laryngomalacia: Observed Clinical and Endoscopic Changes With Alteration of Infant Positioning at the Breast

This retrospective cohort study uses endoscopic assessment of the pharyngeal phase of swallowing in infants with laryngomalacia, to ascertain the impact of infant positioning on airway compromise and fluid dynamics during breastfeeding. The study aims to identify whether modification of infant positioning at the breast may improve the possibility of safe, successful breastfeeding in infants with laryngomalacia and concurrent breastfeeding difficulty. Twenty-three infants referred for noisy breathing and difficulty feeding were assessed with flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) during breastfeeding. All had endoscopically confirmed laryngomalacia. During FEES, observations were made of clinical signs of airway compromise as well as endoscopically observable anatomical features and swallowing dynamics during breastfeeding, including tongue base position, view of laryngeal inlet and vocal folds, dynamic supraglottic soft tissue collapse, timing of milk flow into pyriform fossae/hypopharynx relative to sucking, and presence of penetration and/or aspiration. If airway and/or swallowing compromise was present, the infant's initial position at the breast was altered from supine or semi lateral decubitus position to semi-prone, with a description of the clinical and endoscopically observable changes that subsequently occurred. Signs of dynamic airway obstruction and/or compromised airway protection with swallowing were present in 20 of the 23 infants (87%) in their initial supine or semi lateral decubitus position. These 20 infants were repositioned to semi-prone, with improvement and/or resolution of stridor and an improved ability to maintain latch in all infants. Continued endoscopic evaluation following positional change was possible in 16 infants, identifying anterior positioning of the tongue base, reduced dynamic supraglottic tissue collapse, reduced volume of milk flow into pyriform fossae during pauses in sucking and resolution of penetration and aspiration. This study has shown how alteration of breastfeeding position to semi-prone may improve dynamic airway obstruction and reduce aspiration risk in infants with laryngomalacia.

Measurement of laryngeal elevation time using a flexible surface stretch sensor.

Dysphagia is a growing health problem in aging societies. An observational cohort study targeting community-dwelling populations revealed that 16% of elderly subjects present with dysphagia. There is a need in elderly communities for systematic dysphagia assessment. This study aimed to verify whether laryngeal elevation in the pharyngeal phase could be measured from the body surface using thin and flexible stretch sensors. Thirty-two elderly subjects (17 males, 15 females; mean age±SD: 89.2±6.2years) with suspected dysphagia underwent a swallowing contrast examination in which seven stretch sensors were attached to the front of the neck. The elongation of the sensors was measured and compared to the laryngeal elevation time values obtained using videofluorography. The sensor signal detected the laryngeal elevation start time, conclusion of the descent of the larynx, and the laryngeal elevation time. The respective laryngeal elevation times obtained using videofluorography and using the sensor were compared using the Bland-Altman method. The laryngeal elevation time was 1.34±0.46s with the stretch sensor and 1.49±0.56s with videofluorography. There was a significant positive correlation between the duration obtained by both methods (r=.69, P<.0001). A negative additional significant bias of -0.15s (95% confidence interval -0.30 to -0.03, P=.046) was noted in the laryngeal elevation time from the videofluorography measurement. Laryngeal elevation time can be measured non-invasively from the neck surface using stretch sensors.

Machine learning analysis to automatically measure response time of pharyngeal swallowing reflex in videofluoroscopic swallowing study

To evaluate clinical features and determine rehabilitation strategies of dysphagia, it is crucial to measure the exact response time of the pharyngeal swallowing reflex in a videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS). However, measuring the response time of the pharyngeal swallowing reflex is labor-intensive and particularly for inexperienced clinicians, it can be difficult to measure the brief instance of the pharyngeal swallowing reflex by VFSS. To accurately measure the response time of the swallowing reflex, we present a novel framework, able to detect quick events. In this study, we evaluated the usefulness of machine learning analysis of a VFSS video for automatic measurement of the response time of a swallowing reflex in a pharyngeal phase. In total, 207 pharyngeal swallowing event clips, extracted from raw VFSS videos, were annotated at the starting point and end point of the pharyngeal swallowing reflex by expert clinicians as ground-truth. To evaluate the performance and generalization ability of our model, fivefold cross-validation was performed. The average success rates of detection of the class “during the swallowing reflex” for the training and validation datasets were 98.2% and 97.5%, respectively. The average difference between the predicted detection and the ground-truth at the starting point and end point of the swallowing reflex was 0.210 and 0.056 s, respectively. Therefore, the response times during pharyngeal swallowing reflex are automatically detected by our novel framework. This framework can be a clinically useful tool for estimating the absence or delayed response time of the swallowing reflex in patients with dysphagia and improving poor inter-rater reliability of evaluation of response time of pharyngeal swallowing reflex between expert and unskilled clinicians.

The impact of dysphagia on quality of life in stroke patients.

The objective of this study was to investigate the quality of life in stroke patients using a swallowing quality of life (SWAL-QOL) questionnaire. The correlation between SWAL-QOL questionnaire outcome and videofluoroscopic dysphagia scale (VDS) scores in stroke patients was also determined.This cross-sectional study was retrospectively conducted with 75 stroke patients with dysphagia symptoms. Videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) and SWAL-QOL questionnaires were performed for all patients. These patients were divided into an oral feeding group and a tube feeding group. SWAL-QOL scores were compared between the 2 groups. The severity of dysphagia was estimated by VDS scores according to the videofluoroscopic swallowing study results. The relationships between SWAL-QOL scores and VDS scores were also investigated.The composite score was 48.82 ± 19.51 for the tube feeding group and 53.17 ± 25.42 for the oral feeding group. There were significant differences in burden and sleep subdomains of the SWAL-QOL between the 2 groups (P = .005 and P = .012, respectively). There was a significant negative correlation between the composite score of SWAL-QOL outcome and the total VDS score (r = −0.468, P = .012). The pharyngeal-phase score of the VDS had significant negative correlations with the SWAL-QOL subdomains of burden (r = −0.327, P = .013), mental health (r = −0.348, P = .008), and social functioning (r = −0.365, P = .029).To improve the quality of life of stroke patients, dysphagia rehabilitation should focus on the pharyngeal phase of dysphagia.

Predictors of Pharyngeal Dysphagia in Patients with Parkinson's Disease.

Diagnosis of pharyngeal dysphagia in patients with Parkinson's disease is often difficult as reliable screening methods are lacking so far and clinical examination fails to adequately assess the pharyngeal phase of swallowing. To identify clinical predictors indicating the presence of pharyngeal dysphagia in patients at risk. We examined pharyngeal dysphagia in a large cohort of patients with Parkinson's disease (n = 200) divided in three clinical subtypes (tremor-dominant (TD), mainly bradykinetic (BK) and early postural instability and gait difficulty PIGD)) by using flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing. ANOVA-multivariance analysis and following t-tests as well as binary logistic regression analysis were performed to detect group differences and to identify clinical predictors for dysphagia. Statistically significant differences were found in the dysphagic group: age, male gender, disease duration, stage of the disease, Levodopa equivalent dose and higher scores on the Unified Parkinson's disease rating scale III and II, item 7. The PIGD subtype was affected more frequently than the TD and BK subtype. In a logistic regression model higher age (>63.5 years p < 0.05) and Levodopa equivalent dose (>475 mg, p < 0.01) were identified to be independent predictors for the presence of pharyngeal dysphagia. Particularly patients with an age > 63.5 years and a daily Levodopa equivalent dose >475 mg show an increased risk for pharyngeal dysphagia. These findings may partly be influenced by presbyphagia but are likely to represent disease progression. The PIGD subtype seems to be a risk factor due to more pronounced dyscoordination of oropharyngeal muscle movements.

Swallowing in individuals with disorders of consciousness: A cohort study.

After a period of coma, a proportion of individuals with severe brain injury remain in an altered state of consciousness before regaining partial or complete recovery. Individuals with disorders of consciousness (DOC) classically receive hydration and nutrition through an enteral-feeding tube. However, the real impact of the level of consciousness on an individual's swallowing ability remains poorly investigated. We aimed to document the incidence and characteristics of dysphagia in DOC individuals and to evaluate the link between different components of swallowing and the level of consciousness. We analyzed clinical data on the respiratory status, oral feeding and otolaryngologic examination of swallowing in DOC individuals. We analyzed the association of components of swallowing and participant groups (i.e., unresponsive wakefulness syndrome [UWS] and minimally conscious state [MCS]). We included 92 individuals with DOC (26 UWS and 66 MCS). Overall, 99% of the participants showed deficits in the oral and/or pharyngeal phase of swallowing. As compared with the MCS group, the UWS group more frequently had a tracheostomy (69% vs 24%), with diminished cough reflex (27% vs 54%) and no effective oral phase (0% vs 21%). Almost all DOC participants had severe dysphagia. Some components of swallowing (i.e., tracheostomy, cough reflex and efficacy of the oral phase of swallowing) were related to consciousness. In particular, no UWS participant had an efficient oral phase, which suggests that its presence may be a sign of consciousness. In addition, no UWS participant could be fed entirely orally, whereas no MCS participant orally received ordinary food. Our study also confirms that objective swallowing assessment can be successfully completed in DOC individuals and that specific care is needed to treat severe dysphagia in DOC.

Dysphagia in Lateral Medullary Syndrome: A Narrative Review.

Dysphagia is a common clinical feature of lateral medullary syndrome (LMS) and is clinically relevant because it is related to aspiration pneumonia, malnutrition, increased mortality, and prolonged hospital stay. Herein, the pathophysiology, prognosis, and treatment of dysphagia in LMS are reviewed. The pathophysiology, prognosis, and treatment of dysphagia in LMS are closely interconnected. Although the pathophysiology of dysphagia in LMS has not been fully elucidated, previous studies have suggested that the medullary central pattern generators coordinate the pharyngeal phases of swallowing. Investigation of the extensive neural connections of the medulla oblongata is important in understanding the pathophysiologic mechanism of dysphagia in LMS. Previous studies have reported that most patients with dysphagia in LMS have a relatively good prognosis. However, some patients require tube feeding for several months, even years, due to severe dysphagia, and little has been reported about conditions associated with a poor prognosis of dysphagia in LMS. Concerning specific therapeutic modalities for dysphagia in LMS, in addition to general modalities used for dysphagia treatment in stroke patients, non-invasive modalities, including repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial direct current stimulation, as well as invasive modalities, such as botulinum toxin injection, balloon catheter dilatation, and myotomy for relaxation of the cricopharyngeal muscle, have been applied. For the appropriate application of therapeutic modalities, clinicians should be aware of the recovery mechanisms and prognosis of dysphagia in LMS. Further studies on this topic, as well as studies involving large numbers of subjects on specific therapeutic modalities, should be encouraged.

Reproducibility and reaction time of swallowing as markers of dysphagia in parkinsonian syndromes

ObjectiveTo investigate reproducibility and reaction time of oropharyngeal swallowing in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and atypical parkinsonisms (APs). MethodsWe enrolled 19 patients with PD, 30 with APs, and 20 healthy subjects. Presence and severity of dysphagia were assessed with clinical and fiberoptic endoscopic evaluations of swallowing.Reproducibility of the oral and pharyngeal phases of swallowing were respectively assessed by calculating the ‘similarity index’ of the electromyography activity of the submental/suprahyoid muscles and of the laryngeal-pharyngeal mechanogram during consecutive swallows. These were performed both ‘on command’ and spontaneously. The swallowing reaction time was also recorded. ResultsReproducibility of the oral phase of swallowing was reduced in patients with dysphagia, mainly when swallowing ‘on command’. Swallowing reaction time was prolonged in dysphagic patients. These electrophysiological parameters did not vary among different parkinsonian syndromes and correlated with dysphagia severity. ConclusionsIncreased variability of oral swallowing automatisms and abnormal sensorimotor integration may be of relevance for the pathophysiology of dysphagia in parkinsonian syndromes. SignificanceThe electrophysiological assessment represents a valuable tool to investigate swallowing alterations in parkinsonian syndromes. It may also provide useful insights into clinical severity and pathophysiology of dysphagia, giving clues for the choice of the best therapeutic approach.

C1-2 facet disarticulation for correction of iatrogenic cervical kyphosis following occipital-cervical fusion.

The patient is a 69-year-old woman with a history of atlantoaxial instability and cervical pain who underwent an occipital-cervical fusion at an outside hospital. Five days following the procedure she required a PEG tube due to progressive dysphagia. Compared with preoperative imaging, x-ray shows cervical spine hyperextension with a significant decrease in the occipital–C2 angle. A swallow test confirmed aspiration and pharyngeal phase functional impairment. Two-stage surgery consisted of hardware removal, drilling the fused right C1–2 facet, reinstrumentation, and halo placement. The swallowing test confirmed there is no aspiration. We proceeded with rod placement. The patient recovered completely.The video can be found here: https://youtu.be/YzdJrOm46Y4