Determining normal bolus size for thin liquids

In order to define a suitable volume of barium to be delivered to patients during the radiographic evaluation of pharyngoesophageal function during swallowing, three different age groups of nondysphagic volunteers were studied. Subjects randomly swallowed boluses of water, barium, and Coca-Cola. The size of a normal thin liquid bolus was 21 ml (SD±5 ml). We intend to include this information to compare different bolus sizes in cineradiographic examination of patients with swallowing complaints.     

Swallowing in torticollis before and after rhizotomy

To determine risk factors for dysphagia after ventral rhizotomy, videofluoroscopic barium swallowing examinations were done on 41 spasmodic torticollis patients before and after surgery. Radiologic abnormalities were present in 68.3% of the patients before surgery, but these were only mildly abnormal in the majority. After surgery 95.1% showed radiologic abnormalities which were moderate or severe in one-third of the patients. Swallowing abnormalities correlated significantly with duration of torticollis and subjective complaints of swallowing difficulty both before and after surgery, but not with age, sex, or type of torticollis. The major acute postoperative finding was aggravation of preexisting pharyngeal dysfunction. Follow-up from about half of our original sample showed that gradual improvement occurred from 4 to 24 weeks after surgery by subjective report. We review the innervation of intrinsic and extrinsic pharyngeal musculature, and suggest that C1–3 rhizotomies and selective sectioning of the spinal accessory nerve are responsible for aggravation of pharyngeal swallowing dysfunction in the acute postsurgical period.     

The gastroenterologist's approach to dysphagia

In the gastroenterological diagnostic armamentarium, dysphagia is considered as an important symptom for diseases of the esophagus. Concerning the history of illness, symptoms such as retrosternal pain and heartburn are often associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease. Morphological changes of the mucosa can be diagnosed by flexible endoscopy and radiographic examinations. Investigation with 24-h pH monitoring, manometry, and pharmacological tests is necessary for the diagnosis of functional disorders. Additionally, dysphagia can be associated with multiple internal diseases, including muscular diseases such as dermatomyositis, progressive systemic sclerosis, as well as lupus erythematosus. Difficulties in swallowing associated with hypo- and hyperthyrodism can also be interpreted as muscular lesions. Metabolic disorders such as alcoholism, and diabetes mellitus can be the cause of dysphagia. Increasing importance in the differential diagnosis of dysphagia is attached to infections of the upper GI tract. Especially in immunocompromised patients, infections ofCandida albicans, mycobacterias, herpes, varicella zoster, and cytomegaloviruses can produce dysphagia and odynophagia. The differential diagnosis of the angina-like chest pain has to differentiate between cardiac disease and a noncardiac genesis. Therefore, besides the cardiac diagnostic investigation, endoscopy, radiography, and manometry are often indicated.     

Evaluating Swallowing Dysfunction Using a 100-ml Water Swallowing Test

This study used comparison with videofluoroscopic examination of swallowing (VFES) to examine the validity of a 100-ml water swallowing test (WST) in assessing swallowing dysfunction. Fifty-nine consecutive outpatients (15 females, 44 males) with clinically suspected dysphagia were enrolled in this study. Each subject underwent a 100-ml WST followed by VFES. Data was obtained on swallowing speed and signs of choking (coughing and a wet-hoarse voice). The analytical results revealed that 49 subjects had abnormal swallowing speeds (< 10 ml/s) in the 100-ml WST, and 47 of them were identified as having dysphagia by VFES. Among the ten participants with normal swallowing speed (> 10 ml/s), eight were diagnosed with dysphagia by VFES. Notably, 14 participants choked in the 100-ml WST, 11 of whom exhibited aspiration or penetration in VFES. Among the 45 participants without choking in WST, 12 displayed aspiration or penetration in VFES. The sensitivity of swallowing speed in detecting the swallowing dysfunction was 85.5%, and the specificity was 50%. Moreover, the sensitivity of using choking or wet-horse voice in the 100-ml WST as the sole factor for predicting the presence of aspiration was 47.8%, while the specificity was 91.7%. Therefore, this study concluded that swallowing speed is a sensitive indicator for identifying patients at risk for swallowing dysfunction. Moreover, choking in the 100-ml WST may be a potential specific indicator for followup aspiration.     

Dysphagia caused by diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis

Summary Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) of the spine is often a hazardous radiological finding. Dysphagia, caused by ossification of the anterior longitudinal ligament, may be one of the most important clinical symptoms disturbing the patient. Diagnosis is done by esophagogram, and cervical decompression restores esophageal function. The case of a successfully operated patient is reported and a short overview of the literature is given.     

脑卒中吞咽障碍患者预后和住院费用相关性的回顾性研究

目的探讨吞咽障碍与脑卒中患者预后和住院费用之间的相关性。方法选取于潍坊市3家公立医院康复科就诊的脑卒中住院患者1370例, 根据吞咽造影检查结果, 将患者分为吞咽障碍组(499例)和非吞咽障碍组(871例)。收集患者临床资料, 包括病案号、年龄、性别、医保类型、卒中类型、病灶部位、Charlson合并症指数(CCI)等。采用二元Logistic回归和多重线性回归模型分析吞咽障碍与肺炎发生情况、改良Rankin量表(mRS)评分、改良Barthel指数(MBI)、住院时长、住院总费用之间的相关性。结果本研究纳入脑卒中患者的吞咽障碍发生率为36.42%。校正混杂因素后, 吞咽障碍组肺炎的发生风险是非吞咽障碍组的2.417倍[OR=2.417, 95%CI(1.902, 3.072), P=0.000]。出院时, 吞咽障碍患者mRS评分≥3分和MBI<60分的风险分别为3.272倍[OR=3.272, 95%CI(2.508, 4.269), P<0.001]和1.670倍[OR=1.670, 95%CI(1.230, 2.268), P<0.001]。多重逐步线性回归结果...     

间歇经口管饲法在痴呆所致吞咽障碍患者中的应用

目的 观察痴呆合并吞咽障碍患者采用间歇经口管饲法（IOE）的临床疗效。 方法 选取痴呆所致吞咽障碍患者60例,按照随机数字表法将其分为IOE组和鼻饲（NGT）组,每组30例。2组患者均给予常规治疗,其中IOE组采用IOE进食,NGT组采用经鼻管饲进食。入院24 h和治疗30 d后,评估患者的吞咽功能和营养状况;管饲24 h内及第10天,比较2组患者的管饲舒适度;对2组患者30 d内的并发症发生率、平均住院天数、平均住院费用进行比较。 结果 治疗前,2组患者营养不足发生情况、营养风险及相关指标、功能性经口摄食量表（FOIS）分级比较,差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）。与组内治疗前比较,2组患者治疗后的营养不足人数减少、营养风险降低,体重指数（BMI）、血清白蛋白（ALB）、血红蛋白（Hb）、血清前白蛋白（PAB）均改善（P＜0.05）。与NGT组治疗后比较,IOE组治疗后营养不足发生情况、营养风险及相关指标明显改善,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。治疗后,2组患者FOIS分级均较组内治疗前改善（P＜0.05）,且IOE组改善较为显著（P＜0.05）。管饲第30天,IOE组吞咽障碍改善总有效率（90.0%）高于NGT组（70.0%）,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。IOE组管饲舒适度较高、并发症发生率较低,平均住院日及住院费用较少（P＜0.05）。 结论 IOE可以改善痴呆所致吞咽障碍患者的营养状况和吞咽功能,提高生活质量,并能降低并发症的发生率、缩短住院日、减少住院费用。