BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Spontaneous swallowing frequency has been described as an index of dysphagia in various health conditions. This study evaluated the potential of spontaneous swallow frequency analysis as a screening protocol for dysphagia in acute stroke. METHODS In a cohort of 63 acute stroke cases, swallow frequency rates (swallows per minute [SPM]) were compared with stroke and swall...

PURPOSE Many school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are hampered in participating in managing children with dysphagia by their school systems' lack of supportive policies and procedures. A need exists to better define the dysphagia-trained SLP's role and clarify the district's responsibility. The purpose of this article is to address the critical administrative issues and administrati...

Anterior cervical hyperostosis may be a cause of dysphagia. For anterior cervical hyperostosis, medical or surgical treatments can be adhibited in view of the causative mechanisms and intensities of dysphagia. We report 3 cases of cervical hyperostosis-derived progressive dysphagia that underwent operation. Radiologic diagnosis and Video Fluoroscopic Swallowing Study were performed on the three...

Introduction: Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis (DISH) is a very rare cause of dysphagia when it occurs in the cervical spine. It can also affect the lumbar region where it causes deformity. Case Report: In this article, a rare case of Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis involving both the cervical and lumbar spine, presenting with dysphagia and spinal stiffness leading to a stoopin...

PURPOSE Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a rapidly progressive neuromuscular disorder causing weakness of the skeletal, respiratory, cardiac and oropharyngeal muscles with up to one third of young men reporting difficulty swallowing (dysphagia). Recent studies on dysphagia in DMD clarify the pathophysiology of swallowing disorders and offer new tools for its assessment but little guidance i...

Objective—To determine the incidence of dysphagia and associated pulmonary compromise in stroke patients through a systematic review of the published literature. Methods—Databases were searched (1966 through May 2005) using terms “cerebrovascular disorders,” “deglutition disorders,” and limited to “humans” for original articles addressing the frequency of dysphagia or pneumonia. Data sources in...

INTRODUCTION Despite multiple studies reporting marked benefit of botulinum toxin (BTX) for treatment of cricopharyngeal dysphagia, little is known about its safety for this indication. We examined the safety of cricopharyngeal BTX for dysphagia in oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD). METHODS We reviewed records of patients with OPMD who received cricopharyngeal BTX. RESULTS Twenty-fo...

Dysphagia (swallowing difficulties) is a serious problem associated with malnutrition, dehydration, aspiration pneumonia, and death. Its well‐known causes include stroke, neuromuscular disease, and head and neck cancer, and these affect muscles and sensa‐ tion during deglutition. In recent years, dysphagia due to sarcopenia (i.e. “sarcopenic dysphagia”) has been reported as a new concept. Sarco...

CONTEXT Dysphagia and sialorrhea in patients with Parkinson's disease are both automatically accepted as dependent on this neurological disease. OBJECTIVE The aim were to establish if these two complaints are a consequence or associated manifestations of Parkinson's disease. METHOD Two Parkinson's diseases groups from the same outpatients' population were studied. Patients in the first grou...

BACKGROUND Many patients with advanced malignant dysphagia are not suitable for definitive treatment. The best option for palliation of dysphagia varies between patients. This paper looks at a simple technique for enhancing laser recanalisation. AIM To assess the value of adjunctive brachytherapy in prolonging palliation of malignant dysphagia by endoscopic laser therapy. PATIENTS Twenty tw...