Endoscopic and videofluoroscopic evaluations of swallowing and aspiration

Comparing videofluoroscopy and endoscopy to assess swallowing in bottle-fed young infants in the neonatal intensive care unit

OBJECTIVE

To determine the diagnostic accuracy of videofluoroscopy (VFSS) and endoscopy (FEES) in detecting laryngeal penetration and tracheal aspiration in bottle-fed young infants in the NICU.

STUDY DESIGN

VFSS and FEES findings of 22 infants were compared to each other and to a composite reference standard in this prospective study. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were calculated for each assessment.

RESULT

Agreement between VFSS and FEES was high (92%) for aspiration and moderate (56%) for penetration, with FEES detecting more instances of penetration. Compared to the composite reference standard, FEES had greater sensitivity and a higher negative predictive value for penetration than VFSS. Because of the low prevalence of aspiration, diagnostic accuracy could not be determined for aspiration for either assessment.

CONCLUSION

FEES appears to be more accurate in detecting penetration in this population, and both assessments are valuable tools in a comprehensive feeding and swallowing evaluation.

Effect of aspiration on the lungs in children: a comparison using chest computed tomography findings

Background

Detecting and addressing aspiration early in children with dysphagia, such as those with cerebral palsy, is important for preventing aspiration pneumonia. The current gold standards for assessing aspiration are swallowing function tests, such as fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) and videofluorographic swallowing study; however, the relationship between aspiration of secretion vs aspiration of foodstuff and pulmonary injury is unclear. To clarify this relationship, we examined the correlations between pneumonia findings from chest computed tomography (CT) and the presence or absence of aspiration detected by FEES.

Methods

Eighty-five children (11 years 2 months ±7 years 2 months) underwent FEES and chest CT. Based on the FEES findings, the participants were divided into groups: with and without food aspiration, and with and without saliva aspiration. Correlations between chest CT findings of pneumonia and the presence or absence of each type of aspiration were then examined.

Results

No significant correlations were observed between food aspiration and chest CT findings of pneumonia, whereas saliva aspiration and chest CT findings of pneumonia were significantly correlated. In addition, saliva aspiration was significantly associated with bronchial wall thickening (p < 0.01) and atelectasis (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Our findings in children suggest that: (1) the presence or absence of food aspiration detected by FEES evaluation has little correlation with pneumonia, and (2) the presence or absence of saliva aspiration may be an indicator of aspiration pneumonia risk.

The accuracy of the modified Evan's blue dye test in detecting aspiration in tracheostomised patients

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the modified Evans blue dye test compared to the fibre-optic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing to detect aspiration in tracheostomised patients.

METHODS

This observational accuracy study included 17 patients hospitalised for respiratory complications, subjected to prolonged intubation, and for this reason, tracheostomised.

RESULTS

Mean patient age was 60.2 ± 21.0 years. Aspiration was identified in 10 patients when assessed by fibre-optic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing; of these, 1 had aspiration when evaluated by modified Evans blue dye test. The dye test had a sensitivity of 10.0 per cent and specificity of 100.0 per cent for detecting aspiration. Fibre-optic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing revealed no statistically significant associations between aspiration presence and: speech and language therapy duration, intubation time, or tracheostomy plus mechanical ventilation duration.

CONCLUSION

The modified Evans blue dye test is simple and inexpensive, and does not require prior knowledge in endoscopy; it may be used as an initial screening test in all tracheostomised patients for evaluating aspiration. However, fibre-optic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing should be used for a more comprehensive diagnosis of tracheostomy patients, especially for those at high risk for aspiration.

Association Between Pharyngeal Pooling and Aspiration Using Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing in Head and Neck Cancer Patients with Dysphagia

Postswallow pharyngeal pooling may be a risk factor for tracheal aspiration. However, limited literature shows the potential association between pharyngeal pooling and aspiration in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients. This study investigates the relationship between postswallow pharyngeal pooling and aspiration in HNC patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia. Furthermore, the effects of tumor stage, tumor location, and cancer treatment on aspiration were examined. Ninety dysphagic HNC patients underwent a standardized fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) using thin and thick liquid boluses. For each swallow, three visuoperceptual ordinal variables were scored: postswallow vallecular pooling, postswallow pyriform sinus pooling, and aspiration. Logistic regression analyses with correction for the location of pooling, tumor stage, tumor location, and cancer treatment were performed to explore the association between pooling and aspiration. No significant association was found between postswallow vallecular pooling and aspiration for thin liquid. However, severe versus mild-to-moderate postswallow vallecular pooling of thick liquid was significantly associated to aspiration. Similar results were seen after correction for the presence of pyriform sinus pooling, tumor stage, tumor location, or type of cancer treatment. This study showed a significant association between severe postswallow pyriform sinus pooling of thick liquid and aspiration, independent of the presence of vallecular pooling, tumor stage, tumor location, or cancer treatment. Concluding, location (valleculae versus pyriform sinuses), liquid bolus consistency (thin versus thick liquid), and amount of postswallow pharyngeal pooling (no pooling, mild/moderate pooling, severe pooling) have an influence on the probability of aspiration in dysphagic HNC patients, and they should be carefully considered during FEES, even in the absence of aspiration during the examination.

Predictive clinical factors for penetration and aspiration in Parkinson's disease

BACKGROUND

Do the current swallow-specific subquestions of neurological diagnostic tools reflect the objective swallowing function in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients or are clinical factors superior to predict critical aspiration?

METHODS

In a cross-sectional, observational study a total of 119 Parkinson outpatients were examined clinically and by flexible-endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES). Self-reported dysphagia by subquestions of the MDS-UPDRS and NMS questionnaire and history of subjective aspiration signs were collected.

KEY RESULTS

Nearly, all PD patients showed deglutition abnormalities in FEES (113/119) while only 12%-27% of them reported swallowing problems in the swallow-specific subquestions of neurological standard diagnostic tools (MDS-UPDRS and NMS-Quest), and the answers were heterogeneous and poorly reproducible. With a sensitivity of up to a maximum of 50%, self-reported dysphagia is therefore no reliable tool for identifying dysphagia in PD. While most clinical parameters were linked to dysphagia to some extent, logistic regression analysis revealed high age (Odds Ratio (OR) 1.1 in years, 95% CI 1.03-1.18, P < 0.01), gender (OR 0.3 for females, 95% CI 0.08-0.97, P = 0.04), and affirmed subjective aspiration signs (OR 8.6, 95% CI 3.05-26.52, P < 0.001) as the most significant predictors for critical dysphagia.

CONCLUSIONS AND INFERENCES

Self-perception of swallowing is no reliable tool for identifying dysphagia and questionnaires are insufficient for detecting previous aspiration. Consequent and specific asking for previous subjective aspiration signs is the single most important measure for identifying PD patients at risk for critical aspiration.

Simultaneous Radiological and Fiberendoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing ("SIRFES") in Patients After Surgery of Oropharyngeal/Laryngeal Cancer and Postoperative Dysphagia

To compare the results of a simultaneously performed videofluoroscopic swallowing study and fiberendoscopic evaluation of swallowing in patients with dysphagia after surgery and radiotherapy for oropharyngeal or laryngeal cancer. This prospective study included 31 patients who were examined simultaneously with a standardized protocol. The fiberendoscopic and videofluoroscopic swallowing loops were independently scored by two otorhinolaryngologists/phoniatricians and two radiologists. The presence of penetration/aspiration, the amount of pharyngeal residues and the position of the bolus head when triggering of pharyngeal swallow begins were evaluated. Generalized linear models were used to model the impact of rater, method, bolus and quantities as well as specified moderation effects on scorings. In addition, post hoc Wilcoxon tests were used. Rater agreement was assessed using weighted kappas and their 95% confidence intervals. A total of 202 swallow sequences in 29 patients was evaluated. Interrater agreement was substantial to excellent for both methods (weighted k = 0.979–0.613). Significant differences between both methods were found when assessing the penetration-aspiration scale (p = 0.001, tendency of higher scores by videofluoroscopic (median = 2.59) as opposed to fiberendoscopic (median = 2.14) and the residue severity scores in the valleculae (p = 0.029) and the sinus piriformes (p = 0.002) with larger residues scored by fiberendoscopic evaluation of swallowing. No significant differences were found regarding the time point of triggering (p = 0.273). Simultaneous evaluation of swallowing with FEES and VFSS showed significantly different results in symptomatic patients after tumor operation and radiotherapy.

The Association of 3-D Volume and 2-D Area of Post-swallow Pharyngeal Residue on CT Imaging

Pharyngeal residue, the material that remains in the pharynx after swallowing, is an important marker of impairments in swallowing and prandial aspiration risk. The goals of this study were to determine whether the 2D area of post-swallow residue accurately represents its 3D volume, and if the laterality of residue would affect this association. Thirteen patients with dysphagia due to brainstem stroke completed dynamic 320-detector row computed tomography while swallowing a trial of 10 ml honey-thick barium. 3D volumes of pharyngeal residue were compared to 2D lateral and anterior-posterior areas, and a laterality index for residue location was computed. Although the anteroposterior area of residue was larger than the lateral area, the two measures were positively correlated with one another and with residue volume. On separate bivariate regression analyses, residue volume was accurately predicted by both lateral (R² = 0.91) and anteroposterior (R² = 0.88) residue areas, with limited incidence of high residuals. Half of the sample demonstrated a majority of pharyngeal residue lateralized to one side of the pharynx, with no effect of laterality on the association between areas and volume. In conclusion, the area of post-swallow pharyngeal residue was associated with volume, with limitations in specific cases. Direct measurement of pharyngeal residue volume and swallowing physiology with 3D-CT can be used to validate results from standard 2D instrumentation.

Assessment of Oral Function and Proper Diet Level for Frail Elderly Individuals in Nursing Homes Using Chewing Training Food

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to investigate the relationship between the ability to press Process Lead (PL) in the oral cavity and the tongue pressure and recommended diet form for elderly individuals in nursing homes, using PL normalized physical properties.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional observation study.

SETTING

Geriatric facilities.

PARTICIPANTS

A 100 elderly individuals aged between 67-96 years.

MEASUREMENTS

PL was pressed between the tongue and palate to evaluate its deformation. The thickness was set at 6, 9, and 18 mm. The tongue pressure was measured with a JMS tongue pressure manometer. The number of chewing cycles until an 18-mm thick PL was first swallowed was measured (PL chewing test). The diet was set to level 4, and the recommended form was evaluated by video endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (VE). The results of the PL pressing test and correlations between PL chewing test, tongue pressure, and diet level were statistically examined.

RESULTS

The tongue pressure was significantly decreased in groups that could not press the PL. The PL pressing test and recommended diet form showed a significant correlation, and the elderly with difficulty in pressing the PL had a lower diet level. In addition, the diet level decreased with decreased PL chewing test performance in those without molar occlusion.

CONCLUSIONS

The PL pressing and chewing tests may aid in ascertaining the appropriate diet level. In the future, we would like to verify the usefulness of these tests in determining the diet level of elderly people requiring long-term care at the time of entering the facility.

Iatrogenic skull base cholesteatoma

While the impact of injection laryngoplasty on voice outcomes in unilateral vocal fold immobility has been well characterized, there is a relative paucity of literature investigating its influence on swallow function and outcomes. We performed a retrospective chart review of patients presenting to an academic cancer center between January 2014 and January 2016 to evaluate the clinical impact of percutaneous injection laryngoplasty on reduction of aspiration risk, patient perception of swallowing, and recommended safe diet in patients with vocal fold immobility after head and neck and thoracic surgery. A consecutive sample of patients diagnosed with unilateral vocal fold immobility with patient- or clinician-identified abnormal swallow function who underwent bedside or in-office vocal fold injection was included in the study. Fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing, Eating Assessment Tool-10 scores, Functional Oral Intake Scale scores, and patient perceptual assessment of swallow were evaluated pre- and postinjection. Twenty-one patients with new-onset unilateral vocal fold immobility who underwent injection laryngoplasty were evaluated. Median Eating Assessment Tool-10 and Functional Oral Intake Scale scores postinjection were significantly improved from preinjection. Patients who initially required restricted oral diets, or were nil per os, were able to advance their diet after injection laryngoplasty. Injection laryngoplasty is a safe and effective intervention for improvement of dysphagia in patients with unilateral vocal fold immobility. A single treatment may markedly reduce or eliminate risk of aspiration and potential sequelae.

Improved swallow outcomes after injection laryngoplasty in unilateral vocal fold immobility

While the impact of injection laryngoplasty on voice outcomes in unilateral vocal fold immobility has been well characterized, there is a relative paucity of literature investigating its influence on swallow function and outcomes. We performed a retrospective chart review of patients presenting to an academic cancer center between January 2014 and January 2016 to evaluate the clinical impact of percutaneous injection laryngoplasty on reduction of aspiration risk, patient perception of swallowing, and recommended safe diet in patients with vocal fold immobility after head and neck and thoracic surgery. A consecutive sample of patients diagnosed with unilateral vocal fold immobility with patient- or clinician-identified abnormal swallow function who underwent bedside or in-office vocal fold injection was included in the study. Fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing, Eating Assessment Tool-10 scores, Functional Oral Intake Scale scores, and patient perceptual assessment of swallow were evaluated pre- and postinjection. Twenty-one patients with new-onset unilateral vocal fold immobility who underwent injection laryngoplasty were evaluated. Median Eating Assessment Tool-10 and Functional Oral Intake Scale scores postinjection were significantly improved from preinjection. Patients who initially required restricted oral diets, or were nil per os, were able to advance their diet after injection laryngoplasty. Injection laryngoplasty is a safe and effective intervention for improvement of dysphagia in patients with unilateral vocal fold immobility. A single treatment may markedly reduce or eliminate risk of aspiration and potential sequelae.

Dysphagia in cerebral hypoxia

INTRODUCTION

Dysphagia is a frequent problem in various neurological disorders. However, knowledge on swallowing function in patients with cerebral hypoxia is sparse. The objective of this study is to report the development of swallowing function in a series of adolescent and young-adult patients with cerebral hypoxia.

METHODS

We recruited eight patients (1 male) who were admitted to our institution after the acute phase following cerebral hypoxia. Each patient underwent detailed neurological evaluation, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), standardized neurophysiological assessment and repeated clinical and fiber-endoscopic evaluation of swallowing. Furthermore, all patients received daily physical and occupational therapy and intensive logopedic therapy for swallowing.

RESULTS

Mean age in this case series was 19.9±3.6 years (range 16-25). All eight patients initially displayed severe swallowing dysfunction, but the reflexive components of swallowing were intact in seven patients without brainstem lesions. The only patient with additional brainstem involvement initially suffered from absence of an intact swallowing reflex and developed silent aspiration. However, follow-up examinations revealed intact swallowing reflexes in all eight patients.

DISCUSSION

Dysphagia is common in patients with cerebral hypoxia, mainly resulting in a delayed oral phase consistent with impaired volitional execution of swallowing. Additional lesions in the brainstem may affect the integrity of the central pattern-generating circuitry for swallowing, resulting in additional dysfunction of the non-volitional reflexive component. In conclusion, dysphagia in patients with cerebral hypoxia is a common complication particularly in the early stages of remission, while long-term prognosis with respect to swallowing is often good. Swallowing function should be closely monitored in patients with acquired brain injury.

Correlates of Early Pharyngeal High-Resolution Manometry Adoption in Expert Speech-Language Pathologists

Pharyngeal high-resolution manometry (HRM) is at a point of entry into speech-language pathologist (SLP) clinical practice. However, the demographic characteristics of SLPs who are early adopters of HRM are unclear; perspectives of early adopters may shape how the technology is received by the field at large. We hypothesized that younger SLPs, those working in outpatient settings, those with a strong knowledge base in HRM, and those with experience in other types of instrumentation are more likely to have interest in adopting HRM. We surveyed the population of board-certified SLPs (BCS-S; n = 262) with a 33% response rate (n = 78). Firth logistic regression was used to determine differences in those expressing interest in adopting HRM into future practice (n = 28) and those who did not (n = 45) from the analytic sample of 73 respondents. The best fitting model predicted that SLPs: (1) with training in more types of instrumentation; and (2) believing they could explain the HRM procedure to a patient were more likely to plan to adopt pharyngeal HRM into regular clinical practice. Experience with a variety of instrumentation techniques may encourage SLPs to use new forms of technology. Knowledge of early adopter demographics will allow for development of targeted trainings and determination of HRM implementation barriers. Identification of a clinician sub-group more likely to adopt other new technologies in the future may also be possible.

Methods for measuring swallowing pressure variability using high-resolution manometry

Any movement performed repeatedly will be executed with inter-trial variability. Oropharyngeal swallowing is a complex sensorimotor action, and swallow-to-swallow variability can have consequences that impact swallowing safety. Our aim was to determine an appropriate method to measure swallowing pressure waveform variability. An ideal variability metric must be sensitive to known deviations in waveform amplitude, duration, and overall shape, without being biased by waveforms that have both positive and sub-atmospheric pressure profiles. Through systematic analysis of model waveforms, we found a coefficient of variability (CV) parameter on waveforms adjusted such that the overall mean was 0 to be best suited for swallowing pressure variability analysis. We then investigated pharyngeal swallowing pressure variability using high-resolution manometry data from healthy individuals to assess impacts of waveform alignment, pharyngeal region, and number of swallows investigated. The alignment that resulted in the lowest overall swallowing pressure variability was when the superior-most sensor in the upper esophageal sphincter reached half its maximum pressure. Pressures in the tongue base region of the pharynx were least variable and pressures in the hypopharynx region were most variable. Sets of 3 - 10 consecutive swallows had no overall difference in variability, but sets of 2 swallows resulted in significantly less variability than the other dataset sizes. This study identified variability in swallowing pressure waveform shape throughout the pharynx in healthy adults; we discuss implications for swallowing motor control.

Implementing Cough Reflex Testing in a Clinical Pathway for Acute Stroke: A Pragmatic Randomised Controlled Trial

Silent aspiration is common after stroke and can lead to subsequent pneumonia. While standard bedside dysphagia assessments are ineffective at predicting silent aspiration, cough reflex testing (CRT) has shown promise for identifying patients at risk of silent aspiration. We investigated the impact of CRT on patient and service outcomes when embedded into a clinical pathway. 488 acute stoke patients were randomly allocated to receive either CRT or standard care (i.e. bedside assessment). Primary outcomes included confirmed pneumonia within 3 months post stroke and length of acute inpatient stay. Secondary outcomes related to the feasibility of implementing a CRT pathway and clinician and patient satisfaction. There was a non-significant reduction in pneumonia rates by 2.2% points in the CRT group (OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.06-1.62). There was a non-significant difference of 0.7 days (95% CI - 0.29 to 1.71 days) in length of stay between the standard care group and the CRT group. The CRT took on average 3 min longer to complete (p < 0.01) and resulted in a significant 6.7% increase in videofluoroscopic referrals (p = 0.02); however, these results are clinically insignificant. High patient and clinician satisfaction with CRT was found, with clinicians reporting additional knowledge and confidence in decision making for dysphagia management. Post hoc subgroup analyses according to stroke types were conducted and revealed no significant differences in pneumonia rates after adjustment for multiple comparisons. In conclusion, it was possible to implement a CRT pathway with minimal increases in clinician resources. While clinicians perceived CRT as beneficial in clinical decision making, the efficacy of CRT for reducing pneumonia rates in acute stroke remains to be established.Clinical Trial Registration-URL: http://www.anzctr.org.au . Unique identifier: ACTRN12616000724471.

Drooling is no early sign of dysphagia in Parkinson's disease

BACKGROUND

Dysphagia is frequent and clinically highly relevant in Parkinson's disease (PD). For a rational dysphagia screening predictors are required. Previous investigations suggested that drooling correlates with dysphagia and may serve as its early sign. The aim of this study was to clarify the interrelationship of drooling and dysphagia.

METHODS

In a controlled, cross-sectional, observational study, a total of 119 Parkinson outpatients and 32 controls were examined clinically and by flexible-endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES). Drooling, dysphagia including retained pharyngeal secretions, and cognitive function were assessed by established evaluation scales.

KEY RESULTS

Fifty percent of all PD patients but only 9% of controls had drooling (P < .001). Drooling and dysphagia were related in PD (P = .027) but the data do not support to view drooling as a hallmark symptom for critical dysphagia. Thirty-nine percent of the patients with critical aspiration had no drooling. In contrast, 41% of the patients with severe drooling had no clinically relevant dysphagia in FEES. The oral, but not the pharyngeal secretion management was impaired in PD patients and there was no clear association between drooling and pharyngeal secretion accumulation. Cognitive impaired patients had significantly more drooling (P = .005).

CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES

Although frequent in PD, drooling and dysphagia are only weakly related and drooling cannot be viewed as an early sign of dysphagia. Our data further suggest that the underlying cause of drooling is located in the voluntary oral phase, which is negatively influenced by cognitive deficits.

Utility of Eating Assessment Tool-10 in Predicting Aspiration in Patients with Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis

Objective Examine the incidence of penetration/aspiration in patients with unilateral vocal fold immobility and investigate the relationship with self-reported perception of dysphagia. Study Design Case series with chart review. Setting Academic cancer center. Subjects and Methods Adult patients with unilateral vocal fold immobility diagnosed between 2014 and 2016 were reviewed. Patients were stratified into an aspiration group and a nonaspiration group using objective findings on flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing, as scored using Rosenbek's Penetration Aspiration Scale. Objective findings were compared to patient perception of dysphagia. Bivariate linear correlation analysis was performed to evaluate correlation between Eating Assessment Tool-10 scores and presence of aspiration. Tests of diagnostic accuracy were calculated to investigate the predictive value of Eating Assessment Tool-10 scores >9 on aspiration risk. Results Of the 35 patients with new-onset unilateral vocal fold immobility were evaluated, 25.7% (9/35) demonstrated tracheal aspiration. Mean ± SD Eating Assessment Tool-10 scores were 19.2 ± 13.7 for aspirators and 7.0 ± 7.8 for nonaspirators ( P = .016). A statistically significant correlation was demonstrated between increasing Eating Assessment Tool-10 scores and Penetration Aspiration Scale scores ( r = 0.511, P = .002). Diagnostic accuracy analysis for aspiration risk in patients with an Eating Assessment Tool-10 score >9 revealed a sensitivity of 77.8% and a specificity of 73.1%. Conclusion Patient perception of swallowing difficulty may have utility in predicting aspiration risk. An EAT-10 of >9 in patients with unilateral vocal fold immobility may portend up to a 5 times greater risk of aspiration. Routine swallow testing to assess for penetration/aspiration may be indicated in patients with unilateral vocal fold immobility.

Pharyngeal dysphagia due to Varicella zoster virus meningoradiculitis and full recovery: Case report and endoscopic findings

Varicella zoster virus reactivation is a rare cause of pharyngeal dysphagia with long-term sequelae persisting in most cases. A 76-year-old immunocompetent woman presented with a 4-week history of dysphagia and dysphonia. Brain magnetic resonance imaging displayed a negative finding. Fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing showed a severe dysphagia leading to a percutaneous gastrostomy eventually. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed a lymphocytic pleocytosis and polymerase chain reaction amplified Varicella zoster virus DNA. Eight months after Acyclovir treatment and despite a persisting impairment of the recurrent laryngeal nerve, regular swallowing function was regained and percutaneous gastrostomy could be removed.

Validity and reliability of a novel patient reported outcome tool to evaluate post-operative dysphagia, odynophagia, and voice (DOV) disability after anterior cervical procedures

Background

Existing evaluative instruments for dysphagia, odynophagia, and voice disturbance are cumbersome, focus pre-dominately on dysphagia, and often require administration by a certified Speech Pathologist. This study was conducted to utilize widely accepted instruments such as the American Speech and Hearing Association's National Outcomes Measurement System (NOMS) and VAS pain scales to validate a novel, patient-reported instrument that quantifies the severity of post-operative dysphagia, odynophagia, and voice disabilities (DOV).

Methods

The DOV was developed and subjected to multiple rounds of face and content validation by representative patient cohorts and a panel of clinical experts. An established, prospective clinical registry was utilized to collect pre and post-operative VAS-swallow related pain and DOV measurements for subjects with recent anterior cervical procedures (n=25 content validation, n=20 criterion validation), or recent lumbar decompressions (n=33). NOMS evaluations were performed by a certified Speech Language Pathologist on the first post-operative day after minimally invasive anterior approaches to cervical reconstruction were performed in the criterion validation cohort.

Results

Content validity: Subjects with a recent anterior cervical procedure reported a significant increase in post-operative dysphagia (pre-op: 0.13±0.35, post-op: 1.08±1.41, p=0.01), odynophagia (pre-op: 0.24±0.69, post-op: 0.84±0.90, p=0.001), and voice (pre-op: 0.10±0.41, post-op: 0.88±0.92, p=0.0004) disturbance. In contrast, subjects with a recent lumbar procedure did not demonstrate a significant increase in post-operative dysphagia, odynophagia, or voice disturbance (p>0.05).Criterion validity: Chi-squared contingency testing for independence between converted NOMS and DOV instrument scores accepted linkage between the two instruments for dysphagia X2(DF: 12, n=20, Expected: 21.03, Observed: 24.4, p: 0.02) and voice X2(DF: 6, n=20, Expected: 12.60, Observed: 21.28, p: 0.002) dimensions. Similarly, converted swallow related VAS and DOV odynophagia instruments demonstrated linkage X2(DF: 9, n=20, Expected: 16.92, Observed: 24.21, p: 0.004).Internal Reliability: Chronbach's alpha coefficient of reliability was 0.74 between all DOV survey dimensions.

Conclusions

The DOV survey is a valid patient-reported instrument to rapidly and reliably detect post-operative swallow and voice dysfunction.

An Investigation of the Post-laryngectomy Swallow Using Videofluoroscopy and Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES)

This study investigates the post-laryngectomy swallow. Presence and degree of residue on the post-laryngectomy swallow as observed on videofluoroscopy and FEES is described. In addition, videofluoroscopy and FEES are assessed for reliability and inter-instrument agreement. 30 laryngectomy subjects underwent dysphagia evaluation using simultaneous videofluoroscopy and FEES. These were reviewed post-examination by three expert raters using a rating scale designed for this purpose. Raters were blinded to subject details, type of laryngectomy surgery, pairing of FEES and videofluoroscopy examinations and the scores of other raters. There was a finding of residue in 78% of videofluoroscopy ratings, and 83% of FEES ratings. Comparison of the tools indicated poor inter-rater reliability and poor inter-instrument agreement. Dysphagia is an issue post laryngectomy as measured by patient self-report and by instrumental evaluation. However, alternative dysphagia rating tools and dysphagia evaluation tools are required to enable accurate identification and intervention for underlying swallow physiology post laryngectomy.

Continuum theory: presbyphagia to dysphagia? Functional assessment of swallowing in the elderly

OBJECTIVES

To investigate whether disclosed symptoms (coughing, choking and throat clearing) can be used as early predictors of swallowing disorders in non-hospitalized elderly population. In addition, to determine the presence of early findings of swallowing disorders through fiber optic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

One hundred subjects older than 60 years were recruited from local community social meetings for seniors, they fulfilled inclusion criteria, and were given an oral interview and underwent FEES, with findings classified as: (1) saliva stasis; (2) pharyngeal residue; (3) penetration; (4) aspiration; (5) laryngeal sensitivity.

RESULTS

Twenty-one percent of subjects declared previous choking, 10% coughing, and 7% throat clearing, 39% had pharyngeal residue; 6% saliva stasis; 9% penetration; 2% aspiration; and 92% laryngeal sensitivity present. Thirty-three percent showed pharyngeal residue without saliva stasis, while only 6% showed positivity for both (p = 0.003).

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that health care professionals should be aware that among an apparently healthy population, some subjects may have swallowing disorders without clinical complaints and that a nasolaryngoscopy exam may not be enough to predict dysphagia. We suggest that FEES should be performed to look for surrogate of dysphagia such as pharyngeal residue, laryngeal penetration, and aspiration.

Verification of Reliability and Validity of the Feeding and Swallowing Scale for Premature Infants (FSSPI)

Objective

To propose a new scale, the Feeding and Swallowing Scale for Premature Infants (FSSPI), based on videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) findings and to verify the reliability and validity of the FSSPI.

Methods

One hundred thirty preterm infants who had undergone VFSS were enrolled in this retrospective study. The FSSPI was developed by referring to the Baby Regulated Organization of Subsystems and Sucking approach. The FSSPI score for each VFSS video was evaluated by a physiatrist as well as by three experienced speech-language pathologists. To verify the reliability of the FSSPI, the inter-evaluator and intra-evaluator associations for the FSSPI scores were analyzed. To verify the validity of the FSSPI, the association between FSSPI scores and clinical characteristics including prognosis-related factors was analyzed.

Results

The mean gestational age was 27.3±2.8 weeks. The FSSPI showed a high degree of both intra-rater reliability and inter-rater reliability. Also, there was a significant negative correlation between the FSSPI score and corrected age (CA) at the time of performing VFSS. Further, a significant positive correlation was observed between the FSSPI score and CA at the time of achieving full oral feeding. A significant negative correlation was observed between the FSSPI score and weight gain, between the 1st and 2nd month after birth, and between the 2nd and 3rd month after birth, respectively.

Conclusion

In this study, we proposed a new clinical scale using VFSS to reflect the development of feeding and swallowing skills in preterm infants. Further, we verified the reliability and validity of the scale.

Comparison between videofluoroscopy, fiberoptic endoscopy and scintigraphy for diagnosis of oro-pharyngeal dysphagia

The purpose of this study was to compare videofluoroscopy (VFS), fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) and oro-pharyngo- oesophageal scintigraphy (OPES) with regards to premature spillage, post-swallowing residue and aspiration to assess the reliability of these tests for detection of oro-pharyngeal dysphagia. Sixty patients affected with dysphagia of various origin were enrolled in the study and submitted to VFS, FEES and OPES using a liquid and semi-solid bolus. As a reference, we used VFS. Both the FEES and the OPES showed good sensitivity with high overall values (≥ 80% and ≥ 90% respectively). The comparison between FEES vs VFS concerning drop before swallowing showed good specificity (84.4% for semi-solids and 86.7% for liquids). In the case of post-swallowing residue, FEES vs VFS revealed good overall validity (75% for semi-solids) with specificity and sensitivity well balanced for the semi-solids. OPES vs. VFS demonstrated good sensitivity (88.6%) and overall validity (76.7%) for liquids. The analysis of FEES vs. VFS for aspiration showed that the overall validity was low (≤ 65%). On the other hand, OPES demonstrated appreciable overall validity (71.7%). VFS, FEES and OPES are capable of detecting oro-pharyngeal dysphagia. FEES gave significant results in the evaluation of post-swallowing residues.

Critical Dysphagia is Common in Parkinson Disease and Occurs Even in Early Stages: A Prospective Cohort Study

To assess the prevalence of dysphagia and its typical findings in unselected "real-world" Parkinson patients using an objective gold-standard method. This was a prospective, controlled, cross-sectional study conducted in 119 consecutive Parkinson patients of all stages independent of subjective dysphagia. Patients and 32 controls were clinically and endoscopically examined by flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) to evaluate the deglutition with regard to three consistencies (water, biscuit, and bread). Typical findings of dysphagia like penetration and aspiration, residues, and leakage were assessed. Dysphagia was common in Parkinson patients and occurred in all, even early, disease stages. Only 5% (6/119) of patients showed a completely unremarkable deglutition. Aspiration was seen in 25% (30/119) of patients and always related to water. Residues occurred in 93% (111/119), most commonly for bread. Leakage was much less frequent and was found in only 3-18%, depending on consistency. In a significant fraction of patients, objective dysphagia was not subjectively perceived. A total of 16% of asymptomatic patients suffered from critical aspiration. Significant swallowing deficiencies already occurred in early disease. Aspiration was found in 4 of 20 (20%) patients with disease duration of less than 2 years. Seven of 57 patients (12%) with Hoehn and Yahr stage 2 suffered from severe aspiration. Given the high frequency of critical aspiration in Parkinson disease, these patients should be evaluated early for dysphagia to avoid complications and recommend an adequate therapy. FEES is a simple, cost efficient, minimally invasive method that is ideally suited for this purpose.

Evaluation of the Mann Assessment of Swallowing Ability in Elderly Patients with Pneumonia

Elderly pneumonia patients have various underlying diseases and social backgrounds, and it is difficult to predict their mortality using the current severity assessment tools. However, aspiration is a risk factor for mortality in pneumonia patients. In the evaluation of aspiration, endoscopic and video fluoroscopic methods are reliable but cannot be performed in all pneumonia patients. We evaluated the significance of the Mann Assessment of Swallowing Ability (MASA) in these patients. This study was prospectively performed between December 2014 and June 2015, and all adult hospitalized patients with pneumonia were consecutively enrolled. The MASA score was evaluated soon after admission. The outcome measures were in-hospital mortality, a recurrence of pneumonia within 30 days, 6-month mortality, and the detection of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. A total of 153 patients were ultimately included. The proportion of in-hospital mortality was greater among the severe MASA score patients than normal score patients (p < 0.01), as was the proportion of recurrence of pneumonia (p < 0.01) and 6-month mortality (p < 0.01). In addition, patients with a moderate MASA score more often experienced recurrence of pneumonia than normal score patients (p < 0.05). Furthermore, patients with a mild MASA score more often experienced recurrence of pneumonia (p < 0.01) and 6-month mortality (p < 0.05) than normal score patients. The areas under the curve were 0.74 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.67-0.82) for in-hospital mortality, 0.75 (95% CI, 0.68-0.82) for recurrence of pneumonia, 0.72 (95% Cl, 0.64-0.81) for 6-month mortality, and 0.60 (95% CI, 0.46-0.73) for detection of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. A multivariate analysis showed an abnormal MASA score to be an independent risk factor for the recurrence of pneumonia (p = 0.001) and 6-month mortality (p = 0.005). The MASA is useful for predicting the mortality and recurrence of pneumonia in elderly patients.

Prophylactic Swallow Therapy for Patients with Head and Neck Cancer Undergoing Chemoradiotherapy: A Randomized Trial

Evidence supporting prophylactic swallow exercises for patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) has not been universally demonstrated. This RCT examined diet level, feeding tube use, swallow function, and quality of life (QOL) of patients undergoing chemoradiotherapy who performed prophylactic swallowing exercises. Sixty HNC patients were randomized into exercise versus control groups. Swallowing, oromotor, toxicity, and QOL data were recorded (baseline, 3, 6, 12, 24 months). Physiological swallow function was examined at baseline and 3 months. Swallow exercises were completed twice daily. Oral intake at 3 months was 10% better in the exercise group, which was not statistically significant (p = 0.49). Significant (p < 0.05) differences in secondary outcomes including oromotor function, pharyngeal impairment, oral pharyngeal swallow efficiency, and incisal opening were noted at early time points (3–6 months) in the exercise group. Possible positive early improvements in swallow function are associated with swallowing exercises, although these improvements are not significant longer term.

Inpatient injection laryngoplasty for vocal fold immobility: When is it really necessary?

PURPOSE

To compare pulmonary and swallow outcomes of injection laryngoplasty when performed in the acute versus subacute setting in head & neck and thoracic cancer patients presenting with new onset unilateral vocal fold immobility.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Case series with chart review at an academic cancer center over a 2year period. Based on swallow evaluation, patients diagnosed with vocal fold immobility were grouped into an unsafe swallow group, injected as inpatients, and a safe swallow group, for whom injection laryngoplasty was delayed to the outpatient setting or not performed. Rates of pneumonia, diet recommendations, and swallow outcomes were compared between groups.

RESULTS

24 patients with new-onset vocal fold immobility were evaluated. 7 underwent injection in the inpatient setting, 12 in the outpatient setting, and 5 did not undergo injection. There was no perceived difference in speech and swallow outcomes between the inpatient and outpatient injection groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Injection laryngoplasty shows promise as an effective intervention for reducing aspiration risk and improving diet normalcy in patients with dysphagia as a result of unilateral vocal fold immobility. In patients determined to have a safe swallow, delay of injection laryngoplasty is not detrimental to swallow outcomes.

Botulinum Toxin Injection of the Cricopharyngeus Muscle for the Treatment of Dysphagia

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to evaluate, subjectively and objectively, the diagnostic and therapeutic effects of botulinum toxin (Botox) in patients with dysphagia caused by cricopharyngeus (CP) muscle spasm and/or hypertonicity.

METHODS: A retrospective chart review was done of 5 patients with normally functioning larynges treated with CP Botox injection for dysphagia caused by perceived spasm. Subjective measures of swallowing function after injection were obtained with a patient questionnaire. Objective data were obtained both before and after surgery by one or more of the following tests: modified barium swallow study, manometry, videostroboscopy, and fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing. Quality-of-life measures were obtained with a swallowing rating scale.

RESULTS: Overall, all patients had initial improvement in swallowing after Botox injection. The duration of benefit was from 2 to 14 months. There were no complications. Four of 5 patients had long-term benefits, as evidenced by decreased or eliminated aspiration symptoms, removal of tracheotomy, ability to eat solid foods, and weight gain. One patient continues to have poor swallowing function.

CONCLUSION: Botox injection of the CP muscle to treat dysphagia is effective in patients with underlying muscle spasm or hypertonicity. A positive response to Botox can also help confirm the diagnosis of CP muscle spasm.

Nutritional Alterations Associated with Neurological and Neurosurgical Diseases

Neurological and neurosurgical diseases lead to complications producing malnutrition increasing pathology and mortality. In order to avoid complications because of malnutrition or overcome deficiencies in nutrients supplements are often used for these subjects. The physiopathological mechanisms of malnutrition, methods of nutritional assessment and the supplemental support are reviewed in this paper based on the assumption that patients need to receive adequate nutrition to promote optimal recovery, placing nutrition as a first line treatment and not an afterthought in the rehabilitation.

A New Modified Evans Blue Dye Test as Screening Test for Aspiration in Tracheostomized Patients

OBJECTIVE

The authors assessed the diagnostic accuracy of a new modified Evans blue dye test (MEBDT) as a screening test for aspiration in tracheostomized patients.

DESIGN

Monocentric retrospective study performed between October 2013 and December 2015.

SETTING

Anesthesia and Intensive Care Unit, Second University of Naples.

PARTICIPANTS

Among 62 eligible patients, 5 were excluded. The authors' study population included 57 patients.

INTERVENTIONS

Patients underwent both fiberoptic endoscopic examination of the swallow (FEES) and MEBDT to evaluate swallow. The MEBDT results were compared with those of FEES and the diagnostic accuracy of MEBDT was calculated using the FEES as the gold standard.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

The authors found that both FEES and MEBDT were positive for aspiration in 40 patients (true-positive MEBDT); FEES and MEBDT were negative in 10 (true-negative MEBDT). On the other hand, FEES was positive with an MEBDT negative in 7 patients (false-negative MEBDT), and there were no FEES negative and MEBDT positive (false-positive MEBDT). MEBDT had a sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predicted value of 85%, 100%, 100%, and 58.82%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

MEBDT could be a supplementary diagnostic test for aspiration. Patients with positive MEBDT should not undergo oral feeding, while patients with negative MEBDT should undergo FEES before starting oral feeding.