The Comparisons of the Swallowing Functions According to the Indices in Brainstem Stroke Patients

Lee, Hyun-Joung

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Commun Sci Disord. 2012;17(3): 377-389.

Hyun-Joung Lee^`

이현정(Hyun-Joung Lee)

ABSTRACT

Background & Objectives
The objectives of this study was to investigate the aspects of swallowing functions at the pharyngeal stage and the clinical severity according to the anatomical structures.
Method
Subjects of the study included 36 patients with brainstem lesion and 10 normal control, and 7 indices were measured; pharyngeal peristalsis, cricopharyngeal functions, and presence of aspiration, the vertical hyoid bone movement, the stage transition duration(STD), the pharyngeal transit time(PTT), and clinical severity using the ASHA NOMS.
Results
As a result, all most indexes except some indices(stage transition duration with 15㏄ thin liquid, pharyngeal transit time with 15㏄ semi-solid and 5㏄ thin liquid), there is no significant difference.
Discussion & Conclusion
Almost swallowing functions shown by the various indicators did not differ from the lesions. This implicates that subdividing brainstem into the three sections (midbrain, pons and medulla) when studying the anatomical correlations with the swallowing process has limitation.