Glottic Closure for the Treatment of Recurrent Aspiration Pneumonia in Severely Handicapped Young Persons.

Abstract

Eleven severely handicapped young patients with recurrent aspiration pneumonia were treated with the glottic closure procedure.Their diseases were hypoxic encephalopathy, cerebral palsy, mitochondrial myopathies and after effects of Reye's syndrome. Glottic closure was successful in treating all of these patients.The incidence of recurring pneumonia and the suction frequency remarkably decreased.Home nursing requirements also decreased and the quality of the life of the patients and home nurses improved.It was concluded that this procedure was effective and posed little risk for the treatment of aspiration in severely handicapped young patients.