Treatment of chronic aspiration as a complication of cerebrovascular accident

Abstract

Chronic aspiration remains one of the most difficult complications to treat in the patient recovering from brain stem infarction. Aspiration in these patients is often due to an incompetent glottis in association with dysfunction of the pharyngeal phase of swallowing. A systematic approach to the evaluation and treatment of these patients is presented with illustrative case presentations. Such individual treatment protocols allow for optimum rehabilitation of the post-stroke victim.