You searched for "swallowing"

1431 results found

The pioneers of endoscopy and the sword swallowers

Adolf Kussmaul drew inspiration from an unlikely source to further the development of endoscopy… The early pioneers of airway endoscopy and oesophagoscopy were bedevilled by two major and seemingly insurmountable problems. One was the paucity of light sources, with reliance...

2nd UEP/BLA Joint Meeting

After the success of last year’s inaugural joint meeting in London between the British Laryngological Association (BLA) and the Union of the European Phoniatricians (UEP), the two bodies are coming together again in the charming city of Zagreb, the capital...

Swallow this: management of dysphagia post-stroke

We know that between 50% and 80% of people who have had a stroke present with swallowing difficulties that may be associated with even a small lesion of the cortical or subcortical brain regions. This article provides an up-to-date overview...

Swallow this: management of dysphagia in progressive neurological conditions

Whether the person with the swallowing difficulty has an acquired or progressive neurological condition, understanding the aetiology will allow the speech and language therapist assessing the swallow to have a better understanding of the likely implications for future swallow management...

Anatomy and Physiology of Speech and Hearing

This American book is written for students “in the field of communication sciences and disorders”, however, this is a very useful text for anyone wanting to understand the underpinning science behind speech, swallowing and hearing and balance. The book is...

Can laryngeal sensitivity testing predict aspiration and pneumonia in dysphagic patients?

The laryngeal adductor reflex (LAR) is characterised by brief vocal cord closure in response to laryngeal stimulation. It is important in swallowing physiology as it represents a mechanism for airway protection. The authors of this study examined whether the absence...

Modified barium swallow studies: what is the radiation risk?

A modified barium swallow study (MBSS), also called a videofluoroscopy swallowing study uses ionising radiation to assist the clinician in visualising swallowing biomechanics from the oral cavity to the oesophagus. This procedure is currently one of the best methods used...

What characterises dysphagia in unilateral vocal fold impairment?

The closure of the vocal folds during swallowing is known to contribute to airway protection along with epiglottic inversion and closure of the false vocal folds. It is therefore plausible to expect that unilateral vocal fold impairment without complete closure...

The role of the multidisciplinary team in laryngology and airway – the Charing Cross experience

As the National Centre for Airway Reconstruction, the Charing Cross laryngology MDT provides expert care to patients with airway problems as well as voice and swallowing disorders. In this article, the team explain their raison d’etre and why the MDT...

Early injection laryngoplasty for iatrogenic vocal fold movement impairment – a safe and effective treatment

This Ed’s Choice examines the role of early injection laryngoplasty on swallowing dysfunction and is one of a few studies available in the literature. Research on early injection laryngoplasty has been predominately focused on voice and reducing the risk of...

Instrument assessment preferable over standard beside swallow to determine prevalence of aspiration

Aspiration does not trigger the protective cough response in some patients. The patient’s response may vary according to fluid viscosities and volume. The authors of this prospective study investigated the prevalence of aspiration and response to aspiration of different viscosities...

Muscle tension dysphagia: an underdiagnosed problem

In this article, the authors introduce the description of swallowing problems which have been recently attributed to muscle tension dysphagia (MTDg). The authors are clear that this is a diagnosis of exclusion, and it is important to rule out other...