Behavioral Interventions in Otolaryngologic Diseases With Oropharyngeal Dysphagia: A Narrative Review

Dysphagia is a common symptom in otolaryngologic diseases. For the treatment of oropharyngeal dysphagia, conservative treatment is primarily considered, including behavioral Interventions, modified diet, and facilitation. Behavioral interventions include posture change, swallowing maneuvers, and excise. If a patient is diagnosed with dysphagia caused by oropharyngeal motor dysfunction, behavioral interventions should be actively considered. When applying treatment, it is necessary to apply the treatment tailored to each patient based on the biomechanics of dysphagia through diagnostic evaluations rather than uniform behavioral interventions depending on the disease.

Oropharyngeal Dysphagia Detected on VFSS in a Patient with Pancoast Tumor: A Case Report / 대한연하장애학회지

A Pancoast tumor is a rare form of lung cancer that occurs mainly in the apex of the lung as the main symptom of upper extremity pain. Oropharyngeal dysphagia is not a common symptom. This case report describes a 57-year-old male patient with a Pancoast tumor who presented with oropharyngeal dysphagia. The patient's symptoms included left shoulder and arm pain. The chest computed tomography revealed a mass in the apex of the left lung, invading the mediastinum and compressing the left brachial vein and brachial plexus. He was discharged after receiving palliative chemotherapy. The patient returned to the hospital with dyspnea and was diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia. The cranial nerve exam confirmed hoarseness and an absent gag reflex. In addition, the laryngeal elevation decreased, and the bedside water test was positive. A video fluoroscopic swallow study confirmed the presence of oropharyngeal dysphagia, which was attributed to left glossopharyngeal and vagus nerve damage associated with the Pancoast tumor. This case highlights the need to be aware that a Pancoast tumor can cause oropharyngeal dysphagia. If oropharyngeal dysphagia is suspected, VFSS should be performed to prevent complications leading to mortality from lung cancer.

Clinical Practice Guidelines for Oropharyngeal Dysphagia / 대한연하장애학회지

Objective@#Dysphagia is a common clinical condition characterized by difficulty in swallowing. It is sub-classified into oropharyngeal dysphagia, which refers to problems in the mouth and pharynx, and esophageal dysphagia, which refers to problems in the esophageal body and esophagogastric junction. Dysphagia can have a significant negative impact one’s physical health and quality of life as its severity increases. Therefore, proper assessment and management of dysphagia are critical for improving swallowing function and preventing complications. Thus a guideline was developed to provide evidence-based recommendations for assessment and management in patients with dysphagia. @*Methods@#Nineteen key questions on dysphagia were developed. These questions dealt with various aspects of problems related to dysphagia, including assessment, management, and complications. A literature search for relevant articles was conducted using Pubmed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and one domestic database of KoreaMed, until April 2021. The level of evidence and recommendation grade were established according to the Grading of Recommendation Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology. @*Results@#Early screening and assessment of videofluoroscopic swallowing were recommended for assessing the presence of dysphagia. Therapeutic methods, such as tongue and pharyngeal muscle strengthening exercises and neuromuscular electrical stimulation with swallowing therapy, were effective in improving swallowing function and quality of life in patients with dysphagia. Nutritional intervention and an oral care program were also recommended. @*Conclusion@#This guideline presents recommendations for the assessment and management of patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia, including rehabilitative strategies.

Peduncular Hallucinosis 7 Months After Pontine Hemorrhage With Hypertrophic Olivary Degeneration:A Case Report

Peduncular hallucinosis is a rare type of hallucination, wherein patients see colorful and vivid images. It usually appears after damage to the midbrain, pons, or thalamus. We report the case of a 56-year-old man with peduncular hallucinosis after conservative care for spontaneous pontine hemorrhage, 7 months prior to presentation. He was treated with atypical antipsychotics, which resolved the symptoms. We suggest that it is important to consider peduncular hallucinosis in patients after injuries in subcortical areas and the brainstem. Additionally, we found changes in the hypertrophic olivary degeneration using magnetic resonance imaging, and we suggest the possibility of their correlation with peduncular hallucinosis.

Effect of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Post-stroke Non-fluent Aphasia in Relation with Broca's Area

This study investigated the differences in the effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) between patients with and without the involvement of Broca's area (IBA).The medical records of 20 stroke patients treated with rTMS for non-fluent aphasia were reviewed. Patients completed the Korean version of the Western Aphasia Battery (K-WAB) pre- and post-rTMS. Magnetic resonance T1-weighted images of the brain were analyzed using SPM12 software. Montreal Neurological Institute templates and Talairach coordinates were used to determine Broca's area involvement and segregate patients into 2 groups: IBA and non-IBA (NBA) groups. All statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS software.Twenty subjects were included in the study. The K-WAB scores revealed improvements in the total subjects and IBA and NBA groups. There were no statistical differences between the IBA and NBA groups in the ΔK-WAB scores of aphasia quotient, fluency, comprehension, repetition, and naming. The rTMS was positive for non-fluent aphasia patients, but there was no significant difference in effectiveness depending on the IBA. Further research with a larger number of patients is needed to identify the differences in the effect of rTMS on the IBA.

Utilizing Pulmonary Function Parameters to Predict Dysphagia in Individuals With Cervical Spinal Cord Injuries

Objective@#To utilize pulmonary function parameters as predictive factors for dysphagia in individuals with cervical spinal cord injuries (CSCIs). @*Methods@#Medical records of 78 individuals with CSCIs were retrospectively reviewed. The pulmonary function was evaluated using spirometry and peak flow meter, whereas the swallowing function was assessed using a videofluoroscopic swallowing study. Participants were divided into the non-penetration-aspiration group (score 1 on the Penetration-Aspiration Scale [PAS]) and penetration-aspiration group (scores 2–8 on the PAS). Individuals with pharyngeal residue grade scores >1 were included in the pharyngeal residue group. @*Results@#The mean age was significantly higher in the penetration-aspiration and pharyngeal residue groups. In this study, individuals with clinical features, such as advanced age, history of tracheostomy, anterior surgical approach, and higher neurological level of injury, had significantly more penetration-aspiration or pharyngeal residue. Individuals in the penetration-aspiration group had significantly lower peak cough flow (PCF) levels. Individuals in the pharyngeal residue group had a significantly lower forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1). According to the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of PCF and FEV1 on the PAS, the cutoff value was 140 L/min and 37.5% of the predicted value, respectively. @*Conclusion@#Low PCF and FEV1 values may predict the risk of dysphagia in individuals with CSCIs. In these individuals, active evaluation of swallowing is recommended to confirm dysphagia.

Assessment and Management of Dysphagia during the COVID-19Pandemic / 대한연하장애학회지

Dysphagia is a complication seen in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Even in a COVID-19 pandemic situation, the management of dysphagia caused by other diseases as well as dysphagia-related COVID-19cannot be ignored. Because COVID-19 is transmitted via droplets, contact, and aerosol, there is fear of transmission to healthcare professionals. Due to this, it has not been possible to manage a COVID-19 dysphagia patient, in the same way as it was practiced prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, health professionals make a limited assessment of the patient with dysphagia. Healthcare professionals can use appropriate personal protective equipment to evaluate and treat a patient with COVID-19 associated dysphagia. Further, practice guidelines for dysphagia management should be established according to the presentation in different clinical situations and the status of the COVID-19 outbreak in various countries.

Assessment and Management of Dysphagia during the COVID-19Pandemic / 대한연하장애학회지

Dysphagia is a complication seen in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Even in a COVID-19 pandemic situation, the management of dysphagia caused by other diseases as well as dysphagia-related COVID-19cannot be ignored. Because COVID-19 is transmitted via droplets, contact, and aerosol, there is fear of transmission to healthcare professionals. Due to this, it has not been possible to manage a COVID-19 dysphagia patient, in the same way as it was practiced prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, health professionals make a limited assessment of the patient with dysphagia. Healthcare professionals can use appropriate personal protective equipment to evaluate and treat a patient with COVID-19 associated dysphagia. Further, practice guidelines for dysphagia management should be established according to the presentation in different clinical situations and the status of the COVID-19 outbreak in various countries.

Factors Associated to Returning Home in the First Year after Stroke

The objective of this study was to investigate factors affecting the return home one year after a stroke. The subjects of this study consisted of patients who participated in a large-scale multi-objective cohort study of initial stage stroke patients who were admitted to 9 representative hospitals in Korea. We analyzed the distribution of the subjects who had experienced stroke a year earlier by distinguishing the group who returned home and the other group that was hospitalized in rehabilitation hospitals. Based on this distribution, we evaluated the demographic, environmental, clinical, and psychological factors that can affect the return home. Overall, there were 464 subjects in the ‘Return home’ group and 99 subjects in the ‘Rehabilitation hospitalization’ group. job status, inconvenient housing structures, residential types, diagnosis, Functional Ambulation Categories, modified Rankin Scale, Korea-Modified Barthel Index, Function Independence Measure, Fugl-Meyer Assessment, Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination, Korean version of Frenchay Aphasia Screening Test, Psychosocial Well-being Index-Short Form, Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form, EuroQol-five Dimensional showed a significant difference between the 2 groups one year after the stroke. The factors affecting the return home one year after a stroke include functional status, activities of daily living, cognition, depression, stress, quality of life, job status. It is expected that factors affecting the rehabilitation of patients with stroke can be considered as basic data for establishing rehabilitation goals and treatment plans.

The Korean Dysphagia Society (KDS) Position Statement for Oropharyngeal Dysphagia / 대한연하장애학회지

Oropharyngeal dysphagia is a clinical condition caused by various underlying diseases and is characterized by difficulty in swallowing. Diagnosis and treatment of oropharyngeal dysphagia require multidisciplinary consultations. This position statement for oropharyngeal dysphagia was developed by The Korean Dysphagia Society (KDS) to outline its position on oropharyngeal dysphagia. The clinical practice guideline, position statements, a recent meta-analysis, a systematic review, and randomized controlled trials for oropharyngeal dysphagia were all performed. An expert Delphi survey was also done to achieve a consensus of opinion on this position statement. This position statement for oropharyngeal dysphagia aims to help make evidence-based decisions in clinical practice, improve clinical evaluation and manage oropharyngeal dysphagia in Korea.

Correlation between Dysarthria and Aspiration in Patients with Stroke / 대한연하장애학회지

Objective@#This study examined the correlation between dysarthria and aspiration to determine if dysarthria can predict aspiration in stroke patients. @*Methods@#The medical records of 176 patients with first stroke, who underwent a videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) and Urimal test of articulation and phonology (U-TAP) at the same time between January 2012 and December 2015 in the authors’ hospital, were reviewed retrospectively. The correlation between the penetration aspiration scale (PAS) score and U-TAP score was analyzed in all patients. The mean PAS score and frequency of each PAS score in the dysarthria group and non-dysarthria group were compared. In addition, the aspiration was analyzed based on the severity of dysarthria in the dysphagia group. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software. @*Results@#The correlation between the PAS score and U-TAP score was not statistically significant in all the subjects.The mean PAS score was 3.46±5.52 and 3.07±5.49 in the dysphagia and non-dysphagia group, respectively. The mean PAS score of the dysphagia group was higher than that of the non-dysphagia group. On the other hand, it was not statistically significant. In addition, there was no significant difference in the frequency of the PAS scores between the two groups. The aspiration was compared with the severity of dysarthria according to the U-TAP score; there was no statistically significant difference. @*Conclusion@#No correlation was observed between dysarthria and aspiration in stroke patients. In addition, there was no difference in the frequency of aspiration with or without dysarthria. According to the results of this study, aspiration cannot be predicted by dysarthria in stroke patients. Therefore, each diagnostic test and assessment should be performed for each symptom.

Factors Associated to Returning Home in the First Year after Stroke

The objective of this study was to investigate factors affecting the return home one year after a stroke. The subjects of this study consisted of patients who participated in a large-scale multi-objective cohort study of initial stage stroke patients who were admitted to 9 representative hospitals in Korea. We analyzed the distribution of the subjects who had experienced stroke a year earlier by distinguishing the group who returned home and the other group that was hospitalized in rehabilitation hospitals. Based on this distribution, we evaluated the demographic, environmental, clinical, and psychological factors that can affect the return home. Overall, there were 464 subjects in the ‘Return home’ group and 99 subjects in the ‘Rehabilitation hospitalization’ group. job status, inconvenient housing structures, residential types, diagnosis, Functional Ambulation Categories, modified Rankin Scale, Korea-Modified Barthel Index, Function Independence Measure, Fugl-Meyer Assessment, Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination, Korean version of Frenchay Aphasia Screening Test, Psychosocial Well-being Index-Short Form, Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form, EuroQol-five Dimensional showed a significant difference between the 2 groups one year after the stroke. The factors affecting the return home one year after a stroke include functional status, activities of daily living, cognition, depression, stress, quality of life, job status. It is expected that factors affecting the rehabilitation of patients with stroke can be considered as basic data for establishing rehabilitation goals and treatment plans.

Factors Associated to Returning Home in the First Year after Stroke

The objective of this study was to investigate factors affecting the return home one year after a stroke. The subjects of this study consisted of patients who participated in a large-scale multi-objective cohort study of initial stage stroke patients who were admitted to 9 representative hospitals in Korea. We analyzed the distribution of the subjects who had experienced stroke a year earlier by distinguishing the group who returned home and the other group that was hospitalized in rehabilitation hospitals. Based on this distribution, we evaluated the demographic, environmental, clinical, and psychological factors that can affect the return home. Overall, there were 464 subjects in the ‘Return home’ group and 99 subjects in the ‘Rehabilitation hospitalization’ group. job status, inconvenient housing structures, residential types, diagnosis, Functional Ambulation Categories, modified Rankin Scale, Korea-Modified Barthel Index, Function Independence Measure, Fugl-Meyer Assessment, Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination, Korean version of Frenchay Aphasia Screening Test, Psychosocial Well-being Index-Short Form, Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form, EuroQol-five Dimensional showed a significant difference between the 2 groups one year after the stroke. The factors affecting the return home one year after a stroke include functional status, activities of daily living, cognition, depression, stress, quality of life, job status. It is expected that factors affecting the rehabilitation of patients with stroke can be considered as basic data for establishing rehabilitation goals and treatment plans.

Risk Factors and Assessment of Aspiration / 대한연하장애학회지

Aspiration is the entry of materials, such as pharyngeal secretions, food, or stomach contents, into the respiratory system. Dysphagia is the most common risk factor of aspiration, but there are many other risk factors. A single factor or multiple factors may be present to induce the aspiration, and the risk factors of aspiration should be considered multidimensional. The bedside water test is suitable as a screening test for an evaluation of aspiration. Videofluoroscopic swallowing study and flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing are the diagnostic tests of aspiration and the tests are required if the screening test shows signs of aspiration or silent aspiration is strongly suspected. The diagnostic test should assess not only the presence of aspiration, but also the pathophysiologic risk factors of aspiration.

Frequency and Characteristics of Videofluoroscopic Swallow Study in Patients with Aspiration Pneumonia / 대한연하장애학회지

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to identify the frequency of videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS) and characteristics of VFSS findings in the patients diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia. METHOD: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 2,885 patients who has been diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia either clinically or radiographically. Overall, 811 patients could not be examined because of medical problems. The rest of the subjects were divided into two groups according to the presence of neurologic deficit. The findings of VFSS were scored using the Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PAS) and Pharyngeal Residue Grade (PRG), and data were analyzed based on descriptive statistics, the χ² test, t-test, ANCOVA and logistic regression. RESULT: A total of 1,267 subjects (43.9%) underwent VFSS. Among patients who could be examined, 61.1% were tested. Only 26.7% of subjects without neurologic deficit underwent VFSS, while 56.5% of the subjects in the other group underwent the procedure. The PAS and PRG scores did not differ significantly between groups. About 32.7% of the findings showed silent aspiration (PAS 8), which difficult to detect by bedside screening tests. CONCLUSION: Subjects with neurologic deficit showed significantly higher test rates than the others. There were no significant differences in VFSS findings between groups. Dysphagia should be evaluated in patients with aspiration pneumonia using precise tools, such as VFSS and fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES), regardless of presence of neurological deficit.

Video Fluoroscopic Swallowing Study of Radiation Induced Dysphagia in Head and Neck Cancer / 대한연하장애학회지

Dysphagia is a symptom of head and neck cancer itself and a significant complication of its treatments. Radiation therapy also causes dysphagia due to radiation toxicity. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate patients who complain of dysphagia after radiation therapy. A video fluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) is an imaging tool that can diagnose dysphagia objectively from the oral to the esophagus phase. This tool is also used to evaluate to radiation-induced dysphagia. The abnormal findings in each swallowing phase are diverse. Interpreting each abnormal finding in relation to periodic complications caused by radiation toxicity is very important. A delayed pharyngeal transit time is the most characteristic abnormal finding of VFSS due to fibrosis, which is a chronic complication. To accurately assess the radiation-induced dysphagia, an evaluation of dysphagia prior to radiation therapy in head and neck cancer patients should be preceded. A multidisciplinary approach for evaluating dysphagia is needed throughout the entire period of head and neck cancer treatment.

Anorectal Manometric and Urodynamic Parameters According to the Spinal Cord Injury Lesion

OBJECTIVE: To assess the correlation between the anorectal function and bladder detrusor function in patients with complete spinal cord injury (SCI) according to the type of lesion. METHODS: Medical records of twenty-eight patients with SCI were included in this study. We compared the anorectal manometric and urodynamic (UD) parameters in total subjects. We analyzed the anorectal manometric and UD parameters between the two groups: upper motor neuron (UMN) lesion and lower motor neuron (LMN) lesion. In addition, we reclassified the total subjects into two groups according to the bladder detrusor function: overactive and non-overactive. RESULTS: In the group with LMN lesion, the mean value of maximal anal squeeze pressure (MSP) was slightly higher than that in the group with UMN lesion, and the ratio of MSP to maximal anal resting pressure (MRP) was statistically significant different between the two groups. In addition, although the mean value of MSP was slightly higher in the group with non-overactive detrusor function, there was no statistical correlation of anorectal manometric parameters between the groups with overactive and non-overactive detrusor function. CONCLUSION: The MSP and the ratio of MSP to MRP were higher in the group with LMN lesion. In this study, we could not identify the correlation between bladder and bowel function in total subjects. We conclude that the results of UD study alone cannot predict the outcome of anorectal manometry in patients with SCI. Therefore, it is recommended to perform assessment of anorectal function with anorectal manometry in patients with SCI.

Anorectal Manometric and Urodynamic Parameters According to the Spinal Cord Injury Lesion

OBJECTIVE: To assess the correlation between the anorectal function and bladder detrusor function in patients with complete spinal cord injury (SCI) according to the type of lesion. METHODS: Medical records of twenty-eight patients with SCI were included in this study. We compared the anorectal manometric and urodynamic (UD) parameters in total subjects. We analyzed the anorectal manometric and UD parameters between the two groups: upper motor neuron (UMN) lesion and lower motor neuron (LMN) lesion. In addition, we reclassified the total subjects into two groups according to the bladder detrusor function: overactive and non-overactive. RESULTS: In the group with LMN lesion, the mean value of maximal anal squeeze pressure (MSP) was slightly higher than that in the group with UMN lesion, and the ratio of MSP to maximal anal resting pressure (MRP) was statistically significant different between the two groups. In addition, although the mean value of MSP was slightly higher in the group with non-overactive detrusor function, there was no statistical correlation of anorectal manometric parameters between the groups with overactive and non-overactive detrusor function. CONCLUSION: The MSP and the ratio of MSP to MRP were higher in the group with LMN lesion. In this study, we could not identify the correlation between bladder and bowel function in total subjects. We conclude that the results of UD study alone cannot predict the outcome of anorectal manometry in patients with SCI. Therefore, it is recommended to perform assessment of anorectal function with anorectal manometry in patients with SCI.

Enhancing Motor Learning with Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

Motor learning is a relatively permanent change of improving motor skills, resulting from repetitive training and an important process of motor recovery in neurorehabilitation. There are various methods of physical therapies, medications, stem cell therapy, invasive and non-invasive neuromodulation techniques for recovery of motor function after stroke. In this review, we describe motor learning and transcranial direct current stimulation among noninvasive neuromodulation techniques to enhance the motor learning.

Comparison of Functions, Activity of Daily Living, and Quality of Life according to Hand Dominance in Stroke

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the differences of functions, activity of daily living (ADL), and quality of life (QoL) according to hand dominance in hemiplegic stroke patients. METHOD: The participants were diagnosed as stroke at P hospital. 370 participants (356 right dominant hand, 14 left dominant hand) were right hemisphere stroke, and 258 participants (248 right dominant hand, 10 left dominant hand) were left hemisphere stroke. To compensate the differences of imbalance in the number of participants' hand dominance, we performed the propensity score matching analysis. We analyzed the variation of stroke severity, disability, motor, mobility, cognition and language functions from 7 days until 3 months after onset using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Then, we performed independent t-test to compare hand dexterity, ADL, mood, subjective health condition and QoL of participants according to the hand dominance and the affected hemisphere. RESULTS: All groups showed increased functions during 3 months without statistically significant differences according to hand dominance in both right and left hemisphere stroke patients. In addition, ADL, mood, subjective health condition and QoL were also not significantly different depending on hand dominance in the right and left hemisphere. CONCLUSION: The difference of hand dominance did not influence stroke severity, disability, motor, mobility, cognition or language functions. It also didn't correlate with ADLs, mood or QoL.