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Review
. 2021 Sep 1;67(3):267-274.
doi: 10.5606/tftrd.2021.8427. eCollection 2021 Sep.

Dysphagia management during COVID-19 pandemic: A review of the literature and international guidelines

Sibel Eyigör  1 , Ebru Umay  2
Affiliations
Review

Dysphagia management during COVID-19 pandemic: A review of the literature and international guidelines

Sibel Eyigör et al. Turk J Phys Med Rehabil. .

Abstract

In this review, we present the safest and most effective diagnosis and treatment approaches to dysphagia during the novel coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the light of available data, relevant literature, and personal experiences. Evaluations for dysphagia patients should be based on clinical assessment during the COVID-19 pandemic and instrumental assessment should be planned for very few number of patients. The main approach to rehabilitation must depend on compensatory methods, texture-modified foods, and postural strategies. Direct treatment methods should be avoided and home-based exercise programs should be encouraged. It is also obvious that there is a need for the development of new strategies for telemedicine/telerehabilitation practices in the new world order.

Keywords: COVID-19; dysphagia; management; swallowing; treatment.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.

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