You searched for "dysphagia"
Gastro-oesophageal reflux and cricopharyngeal dysfunction – how do they link?
It has been hypothesised that cricopharyngeal muscle hypertrophy develops as a response to chronic gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. The cricopharyngeus muscle is an important component and contributor to the upper oesophageal sphincter that creates a barrier between the pharynx and oesophagus....
Algorithm for malignant otitis externa
Timely detection and effective management of this potentially fatal condition cannot be overemphasised. This study presents 16 cases over 12 months in a tertiary referral centre. Most patients had diabetes and others were immunocompromised due to radiotherapy, immunosuppressive medication or...
Predicting swallowing outcomes post radiotherapy for head and neck cancer
A videofluroscopic swallow study (VFSS), also known as modified barium swallow (MBS) offers a dynamic view of swallow biomechanics and associated swallowing physiology. The authors of this paper investigated whether quantitative timing and displacement measures of key structures involved in...
Swallowing and breathing: speech and language therapy
Swallowing difficulties are a common comorbidity in just over a quarter of people living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Given the associated risks of aspiration and exacerbation of COPD symptoms, speech and language therapists (SLTs) can offer valuable guidance...Transnasal oesphagoscopy
In this useful and practical article, the authors describe their use of transnasal oesophagoscopy, including the range of clinical scenarios in which it is used. What is TNO? Transnasal oesphagoscopy (TNO) is a technique that can be used in the...
Botulinum toxin injection for bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis
All traditional surgical treatments for bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) paralysis are essentially a balance between maximising airway patency and ensuring adequate phonation / airway protection. This paper highlights the potential role of botulinum toxin (Botox) injection into the cricothyroid...1st course CEORL-HNS Academy
Michael Kuo (UK) in action Held on the first weekend of March, this event was organised by Professor Tomislav Baudoin in the centre of Zagreb under the auspices of the Confederation of European ORL-HNS. It welcomed 100 participants from 24...
Ballenger’s Otorhinolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery, 18th Edition
One hundred and eight years after its first edition, the two-volume eighteenth edition of Ballenger’s Otorhinolaryngology is published in1300 pages set out in six sections, 114 chapters ably edited by Ashley Wackym and James Snow. Volume one very comprehensively covers...
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,...
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...
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...
