[Dysphagia] patient with a history of metastazing nasopharyngeal cancer

[empbos at aol.com (empbos at aol.com)]

Hello,
 
I have a patient who has a history of nasopharyngeal CA which was treated 9 years prior with radiation and chemo.  Unfortunately, the CA recurred and spread to the occipital area and was compressing the brainstem.  She had the tumor debulked during a craniotomy.  It has been expressed to me from ENT that they CN X is "shot".  Recent VFSS prior to the patient coming to the rehab unit demonstrated severe pharyngeal dysphagia.  Patient had a VFSS in 2005 which demonstrated a degree of pharyngeal dysphagia, but nothing to the degree no being demonstrated (likely secondary, in 2005, to the radiation.)  ENT has assured me that there is no metastasis of the CA below the nasopharyngeal area.  Question:  If the swallowing severity is truly a result of CN X damage, will VITALSTIM treatment have a shot of helping?  Being that the CA is contained above the level of electrode placement is there any risk of further enhancing the CA?
 
 
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