Objective To test a novel intervention to train swallowing to occur in the mid-to-low expiratory phase of quiet breathing to improve swallowing safety and efficiency. Design Safety and efficacy non-randomized clinical trial with one-month follow-up. Setting Head and neck cancer (HNC) ambulatory clinics. Participants Thirty patients with HNC and chronic dysphagia completed the intervention. Fifteen of these patients participated in a one-month follow-up visit. Interventions Training protocol based on hierarchy of motor skill acquisition to encourage autonomous and optimal respiratory-swallowing coordination. Visual feedback of respiratory phase and volume for swallowing initiation was provided by nasal airflow and rib cage/abdomen signals. Main Outcome Measures Respiratory-swallow phase pattern, Modified Barium Swallow Impairment Profile™© (MBSImP) scores, Penetration Aspiration Scale (PAS) scores, M.D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory scores Results Using visual feedback, patients were trained to initiate swallows during the mid-expiratory phase of quiet breathing and to continue to expire after swallowing. This optimal phase patterning increased significantly after treatment (p <0.0001). Changes in respiratory-swallowing coordination were associated with improvements in three MBSImP component scores: laryngeal vestibular closure (p = 0.0004), tongue base retraction (p <0.0001), and pharyngeal residue (p = 0.01). Significant improvements were also seen in PAS scores (p <0.0001). Relative to pre-treatment values, patients participating in one-month follow-up had increased optimal phase patterning (p <0.0001), improved laryngeal vestibular closure (p = 0.01), tongue base retraction (p = 0.003), and pharyngeal residue (p = 0.006) MBSImP scores, and improved PAS scores (p <0.0001). Conclusions Improvements in respiratory-swallowing coordination can be trained using a systematic protocol and respiratory phase-lung volume related biofeedback in patients with HNC and chronic dysphagia, with favorable effects on airway protection and bolus clearance.

Reducing fluoroscopic pulse rate, a method used to reduce radiation exposure from Modified Barium Swallow Studies (MBSSs), decreases the number of images available from which to judge swallowing impairment. It is necessary to understand the impact of pulse rate reduction on judgments of swallowing impairment and, consequentially, treatment recommendations. This preliminary study explored differences in standardized MBSS measurements (Modified Barium Swallow Impairment Profile (MBSImP™©) and Penetration Aspiration Scale (PAS) scores) between two pulse rates: 30 and simulated 15 pulses per second (pps). Two reliable speech-language pathologists (SLPs) scored all 5 MBSSs. Five SLPs reported treatment recommendations based on those scores. Differences in judgments of swallowing impairment were found between 30 and simulated 15pps in all 5 MBSSs. These differences were in six physiological swallowing components: initiation of pharyngeal swallow, anterior hyoid excursion, epiglottic movement, pharyngeal contraction, pharyngeal-esophageal segment opening and tongue base retraction. Differences in treatment recommendations were found between 30 and simulated 15pps in all 5 MBSSs. These findings suggest that there are differences in both judgment of swallowing impairment and treatment recommendations when pulse rates are reduced from 30pps to 15pps to minimize radiation exposure.

Background Deficits in swallowing physiology are a leading morbidity for infants with functional single ventricles and systemic outflow tract obstruction following stage 1 palliation. Despite the high prevalence of this condition, the underlying deficits that cause this post-operative impairment remain poorly understood. Objective Identify the physiologic correlates of dysphagia in infants with functional single ventricles and systemic outflow tract obstruction following stage 1 palliative surgery. Methods Postoperative fiberoptic laryngoscopies and videofluoroscopic swallow studies (VFSS) were conducted sequentially on infants with functional single ventricles following stage 1 palliative surgery. Infants were dichotomized as having normal or impaired laryngeal function based on laryngoscopy findings. VFSS were evaluated frame-by-frame using a scale that quantifies performance within 11 components of swallowing physiology. Physiologic attributes within each component were categorized as high functioning or low functioning based on their ability to support milk ingestion without bolus airway entry. Results Thirty-six infants (25 male) were included in the investigation. Twenty-four underwent the Norwood procedure and twelve underwent the Hybrid procedure. Low function physiologic patterns were observed within multiple swallowing components during the ingestion of thin barium as characterized by ≥ 4 sucks per swallow (36%), initiation of pharyngeal swallow below the level of the valleculae (83%), and incomplete late laryngeal vestibular closure (56%) at the height of the swallow. Swallowing deficits contributed to aspiration in 50% of infants. Although nectar thick liquids reduced the rate of aspiration (p=0.006), aspiration rates remained high (27%). No differences in rates of penetration or aspiration were observed between infants with normal and impaired laryngeal function. Conclusions Deficits in swallowing physiology contribute to penetration and aspiration following stage 1 palliation among infants with normal and impaired laryngeal function. Although thickened liquids may improve airway protection for select infants, they may inhibit their ability to extract the bolus and meet nutritional needs.

Purpose Guidelines and preventive measures have been established to limit radiation exposure time during modified barium swallow studies (MBSS) but multiple variables may influence exam duration. This study examines the influence of clinician experience, medical diagnosis category, swallowing impairment severity and use of a standardized protocol on fluoroscopy time. Methods A retrospective review was completed on 739 MBSSs performed on 612 patients (342 males/270 females; age range = 18 to 96 years) completed in one year at the Medical University of South Carolina with IRB approval. All studies were completed by speech-language pathologists trained in the data collection protocol, interpretation, and scoring of the MBSImP™©. Medical diagnosis category, swallowing impairment severity (MBSImP™© score), clinician experience, and fluoroscopy time were the variables recorded for analysis. Results Fluoroscopy time was not significantly associated with medical diagnosis category (p=0.10). The severity of the MBSImP©™ Oral Total and Pharyngeal Total resulted in statistically significant increases in fluoroscopy time (p<0.05). Studies by novice clinicians had longer exposure times when compared to experienced clinicians (p=0.037). Average radiation exposure time using the MBSImP©™ approach was 2.9 minutes, with a 95% confidence interval of 2.8 minutes to 3.0 minutes, which was well within the range of exposure times reported in the literature. Conclusions This study provides preliminary information regarding the impact of medical diagnosis category, swallowing impairment severity and clinician experience on fluoroscopy time. These findings also suggest that a thorough, standardized protocol for MBSSs did not cause unnecessary radiation exposure time during the MBSS.

Purpose The aim of this study was to provide clinicians with an overview of literature relating to dysphagia in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) to guide assessment and treatment. Method In this clinical focus article, we review literature published in Scopus and PubMed between 1990 and 2020 pertaining to dysphagia in SMA across the life span. Original research articles that were published in English were included. Searches were conducted within four themes of inquiry: (a) etiology and phenotypes, (b) respiratory systemic deficits and management, (c) characteristics of natural history dysphagia and its treatment, and (d) dysphagia outcomes with disease-modifying therapies. Articles for the first two themes were selected by content experts who identified the most salient articles that would provide clinicians foundational background knowledge about SMA. Articles for the third theme were identified using search terms, including spinal muscular atrophy, swallow, dysphagia, bulbar, nutrition, g-tube, alternative nutrition, jaw, mouth, palate, OR mandible . Search terms for the fourth theme included spinal muscular atrophy AND nusinersen OR AVXS-101/onasemnogene abeparvovec-xioi . Review of Pertinent Literature Twenty-nine articles were identified. Findings across identified articles support the fact that patients with SMA who do not receive disease-modifying therapy exhibit clinically significant deficits in oropharyngeal swallow function. Few investigations provided systematic information regarding the underlying physiological deficits responsible for this loss in function, the timing of the degradation, or how disease-modifying therapies change these outcomes. Conclusion Future research outlining the physiological and functional oropharyngeal swallowing deficits among patients with SMA who receive disease-modifying therapy is critical in developing standards of dysphagia care to guide clinicians.