Dysphagia
From Citizendium, the Citizens' Compendium
Dysphagia is "difficulty in swallowing which may result from neuromuscular disorder or mechanical obstruction. Dysphagia is classified into two distinct types: oropharyngeal dysphagia due to malfunction of the pharynx and upper esophageal sphincter; and esophageal dysphagia due to malfunction of the esophagus."[1]
Diagnosis
Dysphagia among stroke patients is suggested by the following test:[2]
- First check the patient for "swallowing complaints, abnormalities of voice quality, facial asymmetry, or either expressive or receptive aphasia." If none is detected then go to step 2.
- Have the patient drink 10 mL of water from a cup without a straw while seated upright while oxygenation saturation is monitored during and for 2 minutes after the test. Check whether the patient
- "Coughed or choked during the water drinking or had a change in voice quality after the swallow".
- Oxygenation drops by 2% or more.
In this small study of 84 patients, this two-step test detected 96% of patients with dysphagia as compared to testing by a speech pathologist.[2]
References
- ↑ Anonymous, (2009) Dysphagia (English). Medical Subject Headings. U.S. National Library of Medicine.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Turner-Lawrence DE, Peebles M, Price MF, Singh SJ, Asimos AW (2009). A feasibility study of the sensitivity of emergency physician Dysphagia screening in acute stroke patients.. Ann Emerg Med 54 (3): 344-8, 348.e1. DOI:10.1016/j.annemergmed.2009.03.007. PMID 19362752.
