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Videofluoroscopy in elderly patients with aspiration: importance of evaluating both oral and pharyngeal stages of deglutition

Feinberg, Michael J and Ekberg, Olle LU (1991) In American Journal of Roentgenology: diagnostic imaging and related sciences 156(2). p.293-296
Abstract
Oropharyngeal functional impairment increases with age so that radiologists frequently are asked to determine the cause of aspiration in elderly patients. Neuromuscular and cognitive impairment often make it difficult to perform and interpret videofluoroscopic deglutition examinations in these patients. We retrospectively reviewed the barium swallow examinations in 50 elderly patients (mean age, 87 years) who were known to aspirate. We looked for specific patterns of oropharyngeal dysfunction that resulted in bolus misdirection. Analysis revealed that aspiration was due to abnormalities of the oral stage in 23, pharyngeal stage in 10, and both stages in 17. Dysfunction in the oral stage was due to ingestion of large volumes or rapid... (More)
Oropharyngeal functional impairment increases with age so that radiologists frequently are asked to determine the cause of aspiration in elderly patients. Neuromuscular and cognitive impairment often make it difficult to perform and interpret videofluoroscopic deglutition examinations in these patients. We retrospectively reviewed the barium swallow examinations in 50 elderly patients (mean age, 87 years) who were known to aspirate. We looked for specific patterns of oropharyngeal dysfunction that resulted in bolus misdirection. Analysis revealed that aspiration was due to abnormalities of the oral stage in 23, pharyngeal stage in 10, and both stages in 17. Dysfunction in the oral stage was due to ingestion of large volumes or rapid acquisition rates in nine, failure of containment during processing (bolus manipulation) in 18, and dissociation of lingual delivery and swallowing initiation in the transitional phase in 13. Dysfunction in the pharyngeal stage was due to incomplete transport (bolus retention) in 21 and defective closure of the laryngeal vestibule in 11. No significant relationship between conditions known to cause oropharyngeal dysfunction (dementia, stroke, Parkinson disease, disuse deconditioning) and the specific pattern of dysfunction was identified. These results indicate that an accurate and valid assessment of oropharyngeal dysfunction in elderly patients with aspiration is possible if specific patterns of dysfunction are sought. Our study indicates the importance of evaluating the oral and pharyngeal stages of deglutition in elderly patients who aspirate. (Less)
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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
American Journal of Roentgenology: diagnostic imaging and related sciences
volume
156
issue
2
pages
293 - 296
publisher
American Roentgen Ray Society
external identifiers
  • pmid:1898801
  • scopus:0026084759
ISSN
1546-3141
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
e47f62e0-cbd1-4cad-a96c-d45672aece85 (old id 1105826)
alternative location
http://www.ajronline.org/cgi/reprint/156/2/293
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:49:35
date last changed
2021-09-19 03:01:42
@article{e47f62e0-cbd1-4cad-a96c-d45672aece85,
  abstract     = {{Oropharyngeal functional impairment increases with age so that radiologists frequently are asked to determine the cause of aspiration in elderly patients. Neuromuscular and cognitive impairment often make it difficult to perform and interpret videofluoroscopic deglutition examinations in these patients. We retrospectively reviewed the barium swallow examinations in 50 elderly patients (mean age, 87 years) who were known to aspirate. We looked for specific patterns of oropharyngeal dysfunction that resulted in bolus misdirection. Analysis revealed that aspiration was due to abnormalities of the oral stage in 23, pharyngeal stage in 10, and both stages in 17. Dysfunction in the oral stage was due to ingestion of large volumes or rapid acquisition rates in nine, failure of containment during processing (bolus manipulation) in 18, and dissociation of lingual delivery and swallowing initiation in the transitional phase in 13. Dysfunction in the pharyngeal stage was due to incomplete transport (bolus retention) in 21 and defective closure of the laryngeal vestibule in 11. No significant relationship between conditions known to cause oropharyngeal dysfunction (dementia, stroke, Parkinson disease, disuse deconditioning) and the specific pattern of dysfunction was identified. These results indicate that an accurate and valid assessment of oropharyngeal dysfunction in elderly patients with aspiration is possible if specific patterns of dysfunction are sought. Our study indicates the importance of evaluating the oral and pharyngeal stages of deglutition in elderly patients who aspirate.}},
  author       = {{Feinberg, Michael J and Ekberg, Olle}},
  issn         = {{1546-3141}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{293--296}},
  publisher    = {{American Roentgen Ray Society}},
  series       = {{American Journal of Roentgenology: diagnostic imaging and related sciences}},
  title        = {{Videofluoroscopy in elderly patients with aspiration: importance of evaluating both oral and pharyngeal stages of deglutition}},
  url          = {{http://www.ajronline.org/cgi/reprint/156/2/293}},
  volume       = {{156}},
  year         = {{1991}},
}