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Scintigraphic assessment of swallow efficiency postlaryngectomy
Author(s) -
Hamlet Sandra L.,
Wilson Stephen,
Stachler Robert J.,
Salwen Walter A.,
Muz Jaroslaw,
Heilbrun Lance K.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1288/00005537-199409000-00019
Subject(s) - medicine , swallowing , laryngectomy , pyriform sinus , dysphagia , surgery , larynx , fistula
There have been reports of a high incidence of hypopharyngeal stenosis in total laryngectomy patients when the surgery requires a partial pharyngectomy for pyriform sinus involvement. In this study, three groups were compared: total laryngectomy patients without partial pharyngectomy, total laryngectomy patients with partial pharyngectomy, and normal controls. All patients had received radiation therapy following surgery. All were maintaining oral nutrition, and none complained of dysphagia. Patients were tested between 1 and 7 months postradiation therapy, with a mean of 3 months. Measures of swallowing efficiency were based on scintigraphic data for a liquid swallow. Patients with partial pharyngectomy had abnormally long oropharyngeal transit times and low efficiency scores. For a subgroup of patients with partial pharyngectomy, swallowing data were available postsurgery and postradiation therapy. Postsurgery this patient group did not differ significantly from normal patients in swallowing efficiency, and swallowing efficiency deteriorated in postradiation therapy. This scintigraphic methodology is shown to be a sensitive method of assessing swallowing function in this patient population.