Evaluation of Swallowing Safety With Fiberoptic Endoscope: Comparison With Videofluoroscopic Technique

Videofluoroscopy has long been viewed as the “gold standard” of swallowing examination for the comprehensive information it provides. However, it is not very efficient and accessible in some practical situations. In this study, we tried to use a modified technique of fiberoptic endoscopic examination of swallowing (FEES) in evaluating dysphagic patients. For each examination, a spoonful of pudding and dyed water were fed in sequence three times. The pharyngeal swallowing events were observed with fiberscope panoramically and videotaped. Twenty-eight chronic dysphagic patients underwent both videofluoroscopy and FEES in 2 weeks. Comparison of the results revealed that disagreements in premature oral leakage to the pharynx, pharyngeal stasis, laryngeal penetration, aspiration, effective cough reflex, and velopharyngeal incompetence were 39.3%, 10.7%, 14.3%, 14.3%, 39.3%, and 32.1%, respectively. FEES was found to be more sensitive in detecting these risky features of swallowing, except with respect to premature leakage. Possible causes of the discrepant results are discussed, and the limitation of videofluoroscopy in practical usage is discussed. FEES is conclusively a safer, more efficient, and sensitive method than videofluoroscopy in evaluating swallowing safety.     

Videofluoroscopic evaluation of the swallowing function after supracricoid laryngectomy

This study was designed to evaluate the swallowing function in patients with supracricoid laryngectomy (SCL) compared to normal subjects and to search for the factors affecting postoperative aspiration. Ten patients who underwent SCL with cricohyoidopexy (CHP) for primary laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma were included in the study. The control group consisted of 13 normal adult volunteer men with similar ages. The swallowing act of the subjects was evaluated by using videofluoroscopy (VFS) and videolaryngostroboscopy (VLS). The movements of the larynx were measured with regard to the hyoid bone, mandible and vertebral spine. The patients with SCL-CHP, except for two who had slight aspiration, had effective and near normal swallowing regarding the measurements of the movements of the hyoid bone. They could tolerate a near-normal oral diet. We have observed that the preventive precautions for aspiration are preserving the superior laryngeal nerves, suturing and positioning the cricoarytenoid unit as anterosuperiorly as possible, early decannulation and early onset of swallowing rehabilitation; the risk factors for aspiration are advanced stage of cancer, postoperative radiation and shortening of bolus transit time. VFS is useful for the patients with postoperative aspiration, because it is the definitive technique for anatomical and physiological evaluation of swallowing. We consider that the parameters of VLS and VFS, such as tongue base-arytenoid contact, presence of bolus splitting, pseudoepiglottis function, maximal opening of the pharyngoeosophageal sphincter and total movement of hyoid bone are important criteria to evaluate swallowing.     

吞咽生命质量量表联合纤维内镜下吞咽功能检查技术在鼻咽癌放化疗后吞咽障碍患者中的应用

目的 吞咽生命质量量表(SWAL-QOL)联合纤维内镜下吞咽功能检查技术(FEES)对鼻咽癌放化疗后吞咽障碍患者的吞咽功能进行评估,以了解经放化疗后的鼻咽癌患者的吞咽相关生活质量情况,并拓展二者在临床中的应用。 方法 纳入2019年9月至2020年3月在四川大学华西医院随访的经放化疗治疗的、且存在吞咽障碍的162例鼻咽癌患者为病例组,纳入健康人144例为对照组,两组均填写SWAL-QOL。并对病例组96例患者进行FEES检查,再根据渗漏/误吸量表(PAS)对其吞咽障碍严重程度进行分级。 结果 病例组SWAL-QOL中生活质量量表的总分(124.69±25.57)及吞咽症状维度得分(58.56±9.46)均明显低于对照组,且组间差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);生活质量量表中,除“疲劳”“睡眠”维度外,其余8个维度差异均具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。根据PAS评分显示,无渗漏组22例(22.92%),喉渗漏组60例(62.50%),隐性误吸组14例(14.58%),分组比较:3组病例对比发现,SWAL-QOL总分及“言语交流”“进食恐惧”“疲劳”“睡眠”各维度差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。对比无渗漏组与喉渗漏组SWAL-QOL总分、吞咽症状维度评分及生活质量量表各维度的差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05)。对比无渗漏组和隐性误吸组,SWAL-QOL总分、进食时间、言语交流、睡眠各维度的差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),但吞咽症状及其他维度差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。对比喉渗漏组和隐性误吸组,SWAL-QOL总分,“言语交流”“睡眠”各维度差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),吞咽症状及其他维度差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。 结论 吞咽障碍对鼻咽癌放化疗后患者生活质量影响是多方面的;SWAL-QOL可联合FEES技术,并结合PAS评分对经放化疗后的鼻咽癌患者的吞咽功能进行评估及吞咽障碍严重程度分级,且PAS分级越高,其SWAL-QOL的评分越低。     

Fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing in intensive care unit patients

Aspiration in critically ill patients frequently causes severe co-morbidity. We evaluated a diagnostic protocol using routine FEES in critically ill patients at risk to develop aspiration following extubation. We instructed intensive care unit physicians on specific risk factors for and clinical signs of aspiration following extubation in critically ill patients and offered bedside FEES for such patients. Over a 45-month period, we were called to perform 913 endoscopic examinations in 553 patients. Silent aspiration or aspiration with acute symptoms (cough or gag reflex as the bolus passed into the trachea) was detected in 69.3% of all patients. Prolonged non-oral feeding via a naso-gastric tube was initiated in 49.7% of all patients. In 13.2% of patients, a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy was initiated as a result of FEES findings, and in 6.3% an additional tracheotomy to prevent aspiration had to be initiated. In 59 out of 258 patients (22.9%), tracheotomies were closed, and 30.7% of all 553 patients could be managed with the immediate onset of an oral diet and compensatory treatment procedures. Additional radiological examinations were not required. FEES in critically ill patients allows for a rapid evaluation of deglutition and for the immediate initiation of symptom-related rehabilitation or for an early resumption of oral feeding. Presented at the sixth Congress of the European Laryngological Society, Nottingham, Great Britain, 30 August 2006 to 2 September 2006.     

An EMG screening method (dysphagia limit) for evaluation of neurogenic dysphagia in childhood above 5 years old

Oropharyngeal dysphagia is not rare in older children before the adult age, especially the patients with cerebral palsy. Non-invasive simple tests are needed for the evaluation of children with neurogenic dysphagia including the patients with cerebral palsy. So we aimed to evaluate non-invasive ways to screen for dysphagia in children and the usefulness of this almost new electrophysiologic method for the detection of dysphagia in children with cerebral palsy. Twenty-eight healthy children and 12 patients with cerebral palsy were investigated for the applicability of this method. The movement of the larynx was monitored using a simple piezoelectric wafer sensor and submental surface EMG activity was recorded by bipolar silver-chloride electrodes taped under the chin over the submental muscle complex. The onset and duration of pharyngeal swallowing was recorded from submental-suprahyoid muscles such as the mylohyoid-genitohyoid-anterior digastric complex. By this method, the maximal water volume capacity was measured in single swallows with progressively increasing water volumes, this was called 'dysphagia limit'. The healthy control children revealed to swallow the bolus at once maximally 11.2+/-0.4 and 2.5 ml in average. Dysphagia limit varied from 7 to above 20 ml water volume from age 5-16 years old. Patients with cerebral palsy had the dysphagia limit of 7.7+/-1.8 and 6.4 ml in average. The dysphagia limit was significantly reduced in patients with cerebral palsy (p<0.05). Dysphagia limit seemed to be less sensitive in demonstrating the oropharyngeal swallowing disorders in childhood period (90% in the adult dysphagic patients). But the majority of patients with cerebral palsy (58%) showed abnormality. This electrophysiologic method is completely non-invasive, devoid from any hazard and applicable to children above 5 years. It may be candidate as a screening test before selection of dysphagic children.     

Prospective, randomized outcome study of endoscopy versus modified barium swallow in patients with dysphagia

OBJECTIVE: Aspiration pneumonia is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in both acute and long-term care settings While there are many reasons for patients to develop aspiration pneumonia, there exists a strong association between difficulty swallowing, or dysphagia, and the development of aspiration pneumonia The modified barium swallow test (MBS) and endoscopic evaluations of swallowing are considered to be the most comprehensive tests used to evaluate and manage patients with dysphagia in an effort to reduce the incidence of pneumonia. The purpose of this study was to provide an initial investigation of whether flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing with sensory testing (FEESST) or MBS is superior as the diagnostic test for evaluating and guiding the behavioral and dietary management of outpatients with dysphagia. FEESST combines the standard endoscopic evaluation of swallowing with a technique that determines laryngopharyngeal sensory discrimination thresholds by endoscopically delivering air pulse stimuli to the mucosa innervated by the superior laryngeal nerve. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized, prospective cohort outcome study in a hospital-based outpatient setting. METHODS: One hundred twenty-six outpatients with dysphagia were randomly assigned to either FEESST or MBS as the diagnostic test used to guide dietary and behavioral management (postural changes, small bites and sips, throat clearing). The outcome variables were pneumonia incidence and pneumonia-free interval. The patients were enrolled for 1 year and followed for 1 year. RESULTS: Seventy-eight MBS examinations were performed in 76 patients with 14 patients (18.41%) developing pneumonia; 61 FEESST examinations were performed in 50 patients with 6 patients (12.0%) developing pneumonia These differences were not statistically significant (chi2 = 0.93, P = .33). In the MBS group the median pneumonia-free interval was 47 days; in the FEESST group the median pneumonia-free interval was 39 days Based on Wilcoxon's signed-rank test, this difference was not statistically significant (z = 0.04, P = .96). CONCLUSION: Whether dysphagic outpatients have their dietary and behavioral management guided by the results of MBS or of FEESST, their outcomes with respect to pneumonia incidence and pneumonia-free interval are essentially the same.     

Investigation of aspiration: milk nasendoscopy versus videofluoroscopy

Videofluoroscopy has become the gold standard investigation for assessment of aspiration in patients with clinically diagnosed dysphagia due to neurological causes. Modified nasendoscopy has been described for detection of aspiration with varying findings. Milk nasendoscopy is a simple clinic-based technique to evaluate swallow dysfunction, requiring no radiological input. This paper aims to review the correlation of milk nasendoscopy and videofluoroscopy in the detection of aspiration among patients with clinically diagnosed neurological dysphagia. Retrospective notes of 100 patients attending a combined Swallow Clinic for clinically diagnosed aspiration were reviewed. All patients were subjected to both milk nasendoscopy and videofluoroscopy. Correlation of investigation results was reviewed by Kappa test, and difference was statistically examined with Chi square test. Assessment of aspiration in pre-swallow, swallow and post-swallow phases was reviewed using milk nasendoscopy and videofluoroscopy. The significance of difference was measured using Chi square test. Milk nasendoscopy detected post-swallow phase aspiration significantly more than videofluoroscopy with no significant difference in pre-swallow phase, whereas videofluoroscopy was the investigation of choice in detecting aspiration during the swallow phase. In the investigation of clinically diagnosed neurological dysphagia, substantial correlation was seen in detection between videofluoroscopy and milk nasendoscopy. We suggest that milk nasendoscopy should be used as a preliminary clinic-based test thereby reducing the need for investigations requiring radiation doses.     

鼻咽癌放/化疗后吞咽障碍的临床评估

目的 遴选出安全、有效、便捷的鼻咽癌放/化疗后吞咽障碍的评估方法。方法 选取在邵阳市中心医院就诊的鼻咽癌患者37例,应用吞咽X线荧光透视检查（VFSS）、进食评估问卷调查量表（EAT-10）、安德森吞咽障碍量表（MDADI）、反复唾液吞咽试验（RSST）和洼田饮水试验（WST）对入组患者进行吞咽功能的评估,筛选适合鼻咽癌放/化疗后吞咽障碍评估的方法。结果 以VFSS为金标准,进食评估EAT-10的灵敏度为83.33%,MDADI灵敏度为72.22%,RSST特异度为84.21%,但这些方法与金标准的Kappa值都小于0.2,其一致性较低。WST特异度为78.95%,Kappa值大于0.2,具有相对较好的一致性。结论 WST与VFSS的一致性相对较好,可以作为鼻咽癌放/化疗后吞咽障碍的筛查工具,其他方法也可辅助评估。     

Swallowing function in patients with multiple-system atrophy with a clinical predominance of cerebellar symptoms (MSA-C)

We investigated the swallowing function of 21 patients with multiple system atrophy with a clinical predominance of cerebellar symptoms (MSA-C) by videofluoroscopy (VF). Twenty-six VF examinations were performed at various time points, and they were divided into three groups according to the duration following disease onset: Group A had 1 to 3 years following disease onset (the early stage of the disease), group B had 4 to 6 years following disease onset (the middle stage of the disease), and group C had more than 7 years following disease onset (the late stage of the disease). Swallowing function in the oral phase became gradually disturbed over the progression of MSA. Delayed bolus transport from the oral cavity to the pharynx was already seen in 50% of the patients in group A, and it was seen in more than 85% of the patients in group C. Bolus holding in the oral cavity was slightly disturbed in group A, but it was seen in 57% of the patients in group C. Our study shows that parkinsonism is related to swallowing dysfunction in MSA, but cerebellar dysfunction also affects coordination of the tongue; bolus transport in the oral cavity was disturbed in the early stage of disease. Progression of cerebellar dysfunction and overlapped parkinsonism will worsen tongue movement, and in the late stage of the disease, swallowing function of the oral phase (bolus transport and bolus holding) was remarkably disturbed. Swallowing function in the pharyngeal phase was not significantly correlated to the duration of the disease; however, our study showed that swallowing function in the pharyngeal phase was not assessed fully by VF examination in MSA-C only. Combination with other examinations, such as manometry and electromyography, may be useful, especially in the late stage of the disease. In addition, an analysis concerning the relationship between aspiration seen on VF examination and a history of aspiration pneumonia in MSA-C patients suggested that the sensory system at the larynx and trachea should also be assessed in patients in the late stage of MSA-C.     

Pharyngoesophageal pressure in patients with swallowing disorders

We developed and tested a pressure transducer to correctly determine swallowing pressure at different sites in the pharynx. In normal individuals three pressure peaks were obtained in the mesopharynx, hypopharynx and cervical esophagus, respectively. A patient with central dysphagia demonstrated markedly low mesopharyngeal and hypopharyngeal swallowing pressure. One tongue cancer patient who had undergone right hemiglossectomy, including partial resection of the root of the tongue and bilateral superior neck dissection, had markedly low swallowing pressure in the mesopharynx and vallecular area. Another supraglottic cancer patient treated by supraglottic horizontal partial laryngectomy showed extremely low swallowing pressure in the supraglottic area. Based on our findings, we suggest that measurements using a pressure transducer such as the one described here should be used in combination with radiographic study to diagnose swallowing anomalies correctly. Data obtained with the pressure transducer will allow the clinician to identify the site responsible for postoperative dysphagia as well as its severity, and facilitate planning of reconstructive surgery when required.