Getting comfortable with “comfort feeding”: An exploration of legal and ethical aspects of the Australian speech-language pathologist’s role in palliative dysphagia care

Purpose: With an ageing population, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) can expect to encounter legal and ethical challenges associated with palliative and end-of-life care more frequently. An awareness of the medico-legal and ethical framework for palliative dysphagia management will better equip SLPs to work effectively in this area.

Method: This narrative review examines a range of legislation, legal, ethical and SLP literature that is currently available to orient SLPs to legal and ethical palliative dysphagia management in the Australian context.

Result: Relevant legal and ethical considerations in palliative and end-of-life care are described.

Conclusion: SLPs have a role in palliative dysphagia management, however, this can involve unique legal and ethical challenges. The legal position on provision and cessation of nutrition and hydration differs between Australian States and Territories. Decisions by the courts have established a body of relevant case law. This article introduces SLPs to some of the important considerations for legal and ethical palliative care, but is not intended to be directive. SLPs are encouraged to explore their local options for ethical and medico-legal guidance. It is hoped that increasing SLPs awareness of many of the concepts discussed in this article enhances the provision of high-quality patient-centred care.     

Oral Nitroglycerin Solution May Be Effective for Esophageal Food Impaction

Background

Esophageal food impaction is a common illness presenting to emergency departments (ED), and is frequently resistant to pharmacologic therapy. Several medications have been promoted for this indication, but so far have not proven effective. Endoscopic removal is frequently required to resolve the impaction, resulting in risks from anesthesia and the physical procedure, and in prolonged hospital stay for recovery. Oral nitroglycerin solution was recently used in two such cases and may represent a new therapeutic option.

脑卒中后吞咽障碍患者肠内营养素应用的临床观察

目的：探讨肠内营养混悬液对脑卒中后吞咽障碍患者的营养支持作用。方法：将60例脑卒中后吞咽障碍患者随机分为观察组和对照组各30例,观察组经鼻饲管或胃造瘘管推注肠内营养混悬液总蛋白纤维低聚果糖(TPF-FOS)及自制匀浆膳;对照组经鼻饲管或胃造瘘管给予家庭自制匀浆膳。分别评估2组患者治疗前后的各项相关生化和躯体营养指标。结果：治疗14d后,观察组白蛋白浓度、前白蛋白浓度较治疗前及对照组治疗后明显提高（P＜0.05）。结论：肠内营养混悬液TPF-FOS能够改善患者的营养状态,有助于患者的神经功能全面康复。     

Factors affecting independence in eating among elderly with Alzheimer's disease

Aim: In elderly patients with dementia, disturbed eating behavior is understood to be a core symptom or a behavioral and psychological symptom of dementia (BPSD). The purpose of the present study was to investigate the factors affecting self‐feeding in elderly patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods: A total of 150 AD patients who were hospitalized in dementia wards, or were residents of institutions or group homes were enrolled. The patients underwent an eating behavior examination, cognitive assessment, neurological examination and vital function tests. The eating behavior examination consisted of observation of the patients at mealtime. Items assessing eating behavior included the number of feeding cycles, stopping of eating or agitation and dysfunction. Results: Logistic regression analysis carried out to identify factors with a significant effect on decreased independence in eating were difficulty in beginning a meal (OR = 14.498, CI = 2.067–101.690), presence of dysphagia signs (OR = 5.214, CI = 1.031–26.377) and the severity of dementia (OR = 4.538, CI = 1.154–17.843). Conclusion: The present study is the first to generate objective data showing that difficulty in beginning a meal is a factor that hinders independence in eating in AD, in addition to the presence of dysphagia signs and the severity of dementia. Assisting AD patients in maintaining eating independence might be effectively achieved by eliminating environmental factors that interfere with beginning a meal, and by providing assistance that will promote beginning a meal. The present results show the necessity of developing effective methods for assisting elderly patients with AD. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2012; 12: 481–490.     

零切迹颈前路椎间融合固定系统早期疗效分析

目的探讨零切迹颈前路椎间融合固定系统（Zero—profileinterbodyfusiondevice,Zero—P）用于颈椎前路手术的初期疗效。方法2010年12月至2012年lO月,将Zero—P系统用于颈椎前路手术27例,其中神经根型颈椎病10例,脊髓型颈椎病4例,外伤性颈椎间盘突出13例。记录术前和术后3、12个月时颈部疼痛及上肢疼痛视觉模拟评分（visualanaloguescale,VAS）、颈椎功能障碍指数（neckdisabilityindex,NDI）评分、日本骨科协会（Japaneseortho．paedicassociation,JOA）评分、SF一36评分、颈椎曲度Cobb角及术后吞咽困难发生率。结果24例为单节段手术,3例为双节段手术,手术顺利,术中无明显严重并发症。手术时间（72±15）min,术中出血量（52．0±18．5）mL。术后随访6～27个月,平均13．5个月,无一例内固定失败。所有患者颈部及双上肢疼痛明显改善,颈部VAS评分由术前（6．7±2．O）分降低到末次随访时（1．9±0．8）分（P〈0．05）,上肢疼痛由（5．5±1．6）分降低到（2．0±O．9）分,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）;颈椎功能明显改善,NDI评分由（44．21±11．50）％降低到（14．73±9．04）％,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）;术后神经功能均有所改善,JOA评分由（8．3±3．4）分提高到（14．6±5．1）分,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）;术后患者生存质量明显改善,SF-36中物理评分从（29．5±7．4）％改善至（50．6±9．1）％,心理评分从（33．7±6．4）％改善至（52．9±8．4）％,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。颈椎曲度Cobb角由术前（8．7±7．1）。改善至末次随访时（15．1±8．4）°,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。术后1个月时有4例患者（其中女性3例,男性1例）出现轻度吞咽困难,3个月时仍有1例,6个月时完全消失。结论Zero—P系统用于颈椎前路手术操作简单,可显著减少术后吞咽困难发生率,有效改善颈椎曲度,早期临床疗效满意,中远期疗效有待进一步观察。