[The management of Dysphagia. Part 1: diagnostics]

Abstract

Patients with chronic dysphagia are often in need of artificial nutrition; though being well balanced in terms of energy and vitamins, patients are at a high risk for the loss of resistance and body weight. Dysphagia also causes a severe drawback of the overall quality of life. This paper gives an overview of the present management of dysphagia from the point of view of otolaryngologists, head-neck-surgeons, phoniatricians, and medical speech-language-voice-pathologists. The physiology of swallowing and typical symptoms of dysphagia are first explained. Then the current most important diagnostic procedures as orofacial and laryngeal function analysis, video-endoscopy, and quantitative assessments, are discussed (part 1). This also includes considerations on bolus viscosity variation, postures, swallowing maneuvers, and sensory enhancement procedures, while actual options like botulinum toxin, passy-muir speaking valve, electromyographic biofeedback, and electrostimulation are also mentioned (part 2).