Dysfunction of pharyngeal swallowing. A cineradiographic investigation in 854 dysphagia patients

Abstract

Cineradiography of pharyngeal swallowing was performed in 854 patients (389 males and 465 females) with dysphagia and analyzed for pharyngeal function. Epiglottic dysmotility was registered in 206 patients (24%), defective closure of the laryngeal vestibule in 318 patients (37%), paresis in pharyngeal constrictors in 130 patients (15%), dysfunction of the cricopharyngeal muscle in 215 patients (25%), webs in 130 patients (15%), Zenker diverticula in 20 patients (2%) and Killian-Jamieson diverticula in 16 patients (2%). The symptom dysphagia was more frequent among young women compared with young men. Over the age of 65 the relation was reversed. Pharyngeal dysfunction was more common among young men than young women and this was due to a high frequency of dysfunction of the laryngeal vestibule in young men. Epiglottic dysfunction and dysfunction of the laryngeal vestibule, pharyngeal paresis, cricopharyngeal incoordination and webs showed an increased frequency with age, while diverticula did not. Pharyngeal constrictor paresis was more common in men. Defective relaxation of the cricopharyngeal muscle and webs were more common among old women compared with old men.