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October 2007
Dysphagia Resource Center News October 2007
Posted 2007-10-08 21:38:28
A new text that includes dysphagia resources and protocols in English and Spanish was recently published by Plural Publishing. Although the text has not been reviewed by dysphagia.com, you can check it out by clicking on the dysphagia store
and search for Assessment of Dysphagia in Adults: Resources and Protocols in English and Spanish
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Del.icio.usPosted 2007-10-08 21:59:22
This animation includes a review of swallow anatomy and an animated normal swallow. It is a nice teaching tool!
Posted 2007-10-08 22:04:22
A web site dedicated to the development and sharing of study flashcards has a section for dysphagia.
Posted 2007-10-08 22:11:15
This web page contains a link to a pdf document that provides advice for parents and health care providers on how to administers pills to patients with dysphagia.
Posted 2007-10-08 22:14:37
The AAO-HNS provides an overview of dysphagia. This page provides an overview of dysphagia for patients.
Posted 2007-10-10 20:29:46
New codes impact SLPs as there are now subcodes for phases of dysphagia. See the pdf file at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/datawh/ftpserv/ftpicd9/ftpicd9.htm#guidelines for the new codes.
Posted 2007-10-10 20:34:51
A 16-month-old boy presented with a story of stridor, solid dysphagia and a history of spectacular protrusion underneath his tongue which was mistaken by the parents for a snake's tongue! Read about the radiologic findings at http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1442-2050.2007.00755.x
Posted 2007-10-10 20:38:17
The authors report a case of a swallowed partial denture in a 51-year-old man who presented with progressive dysphagia, odynophagia, and fevers. Imaging studies were initially interpreted as supraglottitis with laryngeal inflammation, which was confirmed by direct visualization with flexible endoscopy. Despite appropriate therapy, the patient's symptoms persisted and rigid laryngoscopy was performed, which revealed a partial denture in the hypopharynx and upper esophagus. The subtle imaging appearance of a swallowed denture is discussed.
Posted 2007-10-11 21:55:39
In Annals of Vascular Surgery (May 2007) Masiero et al. followed 19 patients who presented with dysphagia s/p carotid endartarectomy.
They performed FEES at 5 days and 3 months post operation. They measured degree of penetration and aspiration via the Penetration-Aspiration scale. The mean penetration-aspiration score at the first evaluation was 5.2. At the 3-month follow-up, the mean penetration-aspiration score was 1.2.
Posted 2007-10-13 21:33:29
Dr. Brian Witcombe and Dan Meyer published "Sword Swallowing and its Side Effects" in the British Medical Journal. The authors obtained information from over 100 sword swallowers and compiled the complications.
Posted 2007-10-14 19:52:49
In a recent publication in Spine, Fountas et al. published a retrospective review of complications associated with anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. The authors address management of these complications. A chart review of 1015 patients revealed a mortality rate of 0.1% (1 of 1015 patients, death occurred secondary to an esophageal perforation). The morbidity rate was 19.3% (196 of 1015 patients). The most common complication was the development of isolated postoperative dysphagia, which was observed in 9.5% of the patients. Other complications included postoperative hematoma (5.6%), recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy (3.1%), dural penetration (0.5%) and esophageal perforation (0.3%).
Posted 2007-10-14 20:03:31
An issue of Seminars in Speech & Language addresses issues of pediatric dysphagia providing literature reviews and tutorials on deglutition and respiration, nutritional absorption as a function of GI status, assessment and intervention.
Posted 2007-10-14 20:11:13
The tongue sucker was developed as a result of the 2005 London bombings. The simple suction device is kept in first aid kits for use in cases where the tongue muscle becomes limp or bunched up in the oropharynx occluding the airway. The tongue sucker will allow you to easily bring the tongue forward and free the airway until trained professionals are available.
Posted 2007-10-15 22:47:20
Published in August 2007 in the Annals of Otology Rhinology & Laryngology, Abdelkafy et al. address "Age-related changes in the murine larynx: initial validation of a mouse model."
The authors stained laryngeal tissue from 9 aged and 9 young mice to validate a mouse model for the aging larynx. They stained the larynges with Alcian blue to determine the hyaluronic acid content, trichrome stain to determine the collagen content, and immunohistochemical stain for alpha smooth muscle actin to determine the myofibroblast content. Morphometric measurements were performed for muscle area, muscle thickness, and muscle fiber diameter. Statistically significant differences in the density measurements of hyaluronic acid and collagen reflected decreased hyaluronic acid and increased collagen content in the aging larynx. Alpha smooth muscle actin-labeled myofibroblasts were only evident in the aged larynges. No statistically significant differences were found in the morphometric measurements. In conclusion aged mice may make a practical model for the age-related changes in the vocal folds that can be used further in studies aiming to correct these changes.
Posted 2007-10-21 09:27:47
Ina recent publication in Seminars in Speech and Language, Dr. Threats addresses the use of the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) as a framework for dysphagia clinicians. The different components of the ICF are discussed in relation to the diagnosis and management of dysphagia. The author concludes that speech-language pathologists can use the ICF framework beneficially to justify and strengthen their role in the management of dysphagia.
Posted 2007-10-21 19:48:34
A prospective investigation by Cowgill et al. will be published in the November issue of Journal of Surgical Research. The authors compared hospital costs of initial fundopilcation versus a repeat procedure for a failed fundoplicaiton. The authors noted that fundoplication resulted in a reduction in dysphagia frequency and that dysphagia severity was reduced. Length of stay was significantly longer for patients requiring “redo” fundoplications and hospital costs were significantly greater.
Posted 2007-10-24 20:16:29
Research at Wake Forest University tested viscosity of foods that ranged in thickness from thin to nectar (thicker) to honey (thickest), using the National Dysphagia DIET (NDD) terminology. They found that of four different prepared dysphagia diet foods used at the Medical Center (Resource, Hormel, Carnation and Boost) the viscosity listed for Resource was the most consistent with NDD guidelines.