Brain Neurorehabil.  2009 Sep;2(2):103-107. 10.12786/bn.2009.2.2.103.

Evaluation of Dysphagia

• Park JW

• KMID: 2308659
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.12786/bn.2009.2.2.103

Abstract

Dysphagia is common, especially in the elderly, and may cause dehydration, weight loss, aspiration pneumonia and airway obstruction. It may occur because of a wide variety of structural or functional conditions, including stroke, cancer, neurologic disease and gastroesophageal reflux disease. A thorough history and a careful physical examination are important in the diagnosis but investigations such as videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFS), fiberoptic endoscopic examination of swallowing (FEES) and manometry are more useful for confirming diagnosis, identifying the pathophysiology of a swallowing disorder and testing the therapeutic and compensatory techniques. This article reviews various evaluating methods for dysphagia.

Keyword

deglutition disorders; dysphagia; endoscopy; evaluation; manometry; scale