You searched for "dysphagia"
Surgical management of permanent facial paralysis
This article explores the management of flaccid facial palsy focusing on weakness less than one to two years’ duration. As a general rule, primary nerve repair produces the best outcome and should be performed where possible. For long-standing paralysis of...
Bothersome ‘burping’ – speech therapy may help
Most people experience belching as a normal phenomenon, often after eating or drinking carbonated drinks in particular. However, separate to this normal physiological phenomenon, some people experience belches that can occur much more frequently (up to 20 times a minute)...
Are there benefits of prophylactic swallowing exercises for patients with head and neck cancer?
This randomised controlled trial aimed to establish the impact of prophylactic swallowing exercises in patients undergoing chemoradiation therapy for head and neck cancer. The primary outcome was the functional oral intake scale (FOIS), although secondary measures for feeding tube use,...
Choosing instrumental assessments of swallowing for children
Swallowing disorders in children are increasingly common due to advances in medical care allowing them to survive prematurity or complex health conditions. Careful assessment of eating and drinking is necessary to ensure that children are managed both safely and with...
Marshmallows for swallowing assessments!
The complaint of ‘food sticking in my throat’ is one many of us will have heard several times in clinical practice. The authors of this study report the prevalence of this symptom to be between 5-8% in the general population...C2Dx acquires otolaryngology/head and neck surgery products from Cook Medical
C2Dx Inc., a medical device company based in the U.S., has acquired the otolaryngology/head and neck surgery (“OHNS”) family of products from Cook Medical.
Identifying CN IX and X using endotracheal tube electrodes
This clinical study describes the possible usefulness of endotracheal tube electrodes in monitoring vocal cord function during cerebellopontine angle surgery in 20 patients. Lower cranial nerves, especially IX and X are at risk of injury during skull base surgery although...
The right kit matters… How important is video recording in FEES?
As a portable alternative to videofluoroscopy, fibreoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) is often carried out at the patient’s bedside. The authors of this paper have chosen to examine the reliability of the penetration-aspiration ratings (Rosenbek scale) of FEES examinations...
Botulinum toxin and drooling – how much, how often and where?
This was an incredibly useful article covering all aspects of the use of botulinum toxin as a treatment modality in sialorrhoea. The article starts by outlining why treating sialorrhoea is important and describes the non-pharmacological and pharmacological options, highlighting that...
