BACKGROUND & AIMS: OBJECTIVE:A videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) is generally used to assess dysphagia and aspiration, although false-negative results may be obtained. Saliva aspiration may cause false-negative VFSS findings in elderly people. A radionuclide salivagram can be useful in detecting saliva aspiration. We therefore compared these two methods for the evaluation of patients with aspiration pneumonia. METHODS:We prospectively enrolled 50 patients with aspiration pneumonia into this study. All patients underwent VFSS, and were evaluated on the Penetration-Aspiration Scale. A salivagram was performed on the day after VFSS and each patient received 1 mL Tc-99 m DTPA sublingually. Both dynamic and delayed images were obtained. RESULTS:Aspiration was observed in 34% of patients by salivagram and in 42% by VFSS. The frequency of tests that were positive for aspiration pneumonia using a combination of the two methods was 52%. Five patients with positive aspiration findings on salivagram were negative on VFSS. The association between VFSS and salivagram findings was significant but the total agreement was 72%. The frequency of aspiration pneumonia was significantly associated with an abnormal salivagram finding. CONCLUSIONS:A salivagram may be a useful method for the evaluation of aspiration in elderly people, and a combination of the VFSS and salivagram methods could enable a more effective investigation of aspiration pneumonia.

背景与目标：

BACKGROUND & AIMS: BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:Prospective assessment of dysphagia and trismus in chemo-IMRT head and neck cancer patients in relation to dose-parameters of structures involved in swallowing and mastication. MATERIAL AND METHODS:Assessment of 55 patients before, 10-weeks (N=49) and 1-year post-treatment (N=37). Calculation of dose-volume parameters for swallowing (inferior (IC), middle (MC), and superior constrictors (SC)), and mastication structures (e.g. masseter). Investigation of relationships between dose-parameters and endpoints for swallowing problems (videofluoroscopy-based laryngeal Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PAS), and study-specific structured questionnaire) and limited mouth-opening (measurements and questionnaire), taking into account baseline scores. RESULTS:At 10-weeks, volume of IC receiving ≥60 Gy (V60) and mean dose IC were significant predictors for PAS. One-year post-treatment, reported problems with swallowing solids were significantly related to masseter dose-parameters (mean, V20, V40 and V60) and an inverse relationship (lower dose related to a higher probability) was observed for V60 of the IC. Dose-parameters of masseter and pterygoid muscles were significant predictors of trismus at 10-weeks (mean, V20, and V40). At 1-year, dose-parameters of all mastication structures were strong predictors for subjective mouth-opening problems (mean, max, V20, V40, and V60). CONCLUSIONS:Dose-effect relationships exist for dysphagia and trismus. Therefore treatment plans should be optimized to avoid these side effects.

背景与目标：

BACKGROUND & AIMS: BACKGROUND:Little is known about what factors affect patient-reported swallowing outcome after total laryngectomy. We explored whether patient demographics, surgical variables, use of adjuvant treatment, and time since surgery were associated with patient-reported swallowing outcome. METHODS:Cross-sectional study of laryngectomees in eight UK hospitals. Demographic, treatment, and surgical variables were drawn from medical notes. The swallowing outcomes after laryngectomy (SOAL) questionnaire captured perceived swallowing outcome. RESULTS:Two hundred and twenty one participants had complete data on treatment-related variables. In regression analysis, having a free jejunum flap repair and requiring chemoradiation were the only two variables that added significantly to the model of worse self-reported swallowing outcome (R2 adjusted = .23, P < .001). CONCLUSION:The SOAL is a sensitive measure of self-reported swallowing outcome after laryngectomy. Type of surgical closure and the type of additional treatment influenced the swallowing outcome reported by patients. Changes in perceived swallowing function need to be routinely evaluated to inform clinical decision-making and intervention.

背景与目标：

BACKGROUND & AIMS: INTRODUCTION:Premature baby's oral feeding is not possible until the reflex of sucking-swallowing-breathing adquisition. Its delay extends hospital stay and increases the incidence of oral motor disorders in early childhood. AIMS:To analyze the transition from enteral to oral nutrition, the comorbidity associated with its delay and the impact of an early suction stimulation in a cohort of premature babies. PATIENTS AND METHODS:Retrospective checking of 95 infants less than 32 gestation weeks (GW) admitted to a neonatal ICU in the last 4 years. It was revised the gestational age, anthropometric at birth and discharge, comorbidity, duration of mechanical ventilation, oxygen requirements, time of beginning and end of enteral/oral nutrition, beginning of Kangaroo method and the suction stimulation and the daily weight gain average. RESULTS:Suction stimulation began between weeks 29 and 40 GW (average and median 32 GW). Oral nutrition was initiated between 31-40 GW (average and median 33 GW) and completed between 33-44 GW (average and median 35 GW). Oral nutrition was delayed in patients who required longer mechanical ventilation and oxygen therapy. There was a positive correlation between the beginning of suction stimulation and the time of acquisition of a complete oral nutrition (84% Spearman correlation test) and length of hospital stay (80% Spearman correlation test). CONCLUSIONS:[corrected] Early suction stimulation in a preterm patient seems to facilitate full oral nutrition at an early stage and it is associated with a hospital stay decrease and the improvement in the daily weight gain average.

背景与目标：

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :Purpose: Dysphagia is common in critically ill neurological patients and is associated with a high mortality and morbidity. Data on the usefulness of flexible endoscopic examination of swallowing (FEES) in neurological intensive care unit (ICU) patients are lacking, raising the need for evaluation.Method: FEES was performed in neurological intensive care patients suspected of dysphagia. We correlated findings with baseline data, disability status, pneumonia and duration of hospitalisation, as well as a need for mechanical ventilation or tracheotomy.Result: This analysis consisted of 125 patients with suspected dysphagia. Most of the patients (81; 64,8%) suffered from acute stroke. Dysphagia was diagnosed using FEES in 90 patients (72%). FEES results led to dietary modifications in 80 patients (64%). The outcome at discharge was worse in dysphagic stroke patients diagnosed by FEES as compared to non-dysphagic stroke patients (p = 0.009). Patients without oral diet had higher need for intubation (p = 0.007), tracheotomy (p = 0.032) and higher mortality (p < 0.001) in comparison to patients with at least small amounts of oral intake.Conclusion: As the clinical assessment of the patients often classified the dysphagia incorrectly, the broad use of FEES in ICU patients might help to adequately adjust patients' oral diet. This knowledge might contribute to lower mortality and morbidity.

背景与目标： 目的: 吞咽困难在重症神经系统患者中很常见，并且具有很高的死亡率和发病率。缺乏神经重症监护病房 (ICU) 患者吞咽灵活内窥镜检查 (收费) 的有用性数据，这增加了评估的需求。方法: 对怀疑吞咽困难的神经重症监护患者进行收费。我们将结果与基线数据、残疾状况、肺炎和住院时间以及机械通气或气管切开的需求相关联。结果: 该分析包括125例疑似吞咽困难的患者。大多数患者 (81; 64，8%) 患有急性中风。在90例患者 (72%) 中使用费用诊断吞咽困难。收费结果导致80名患者 (64%) 的饮食改变。与非吞咽障碍卒中患者相比，经收费诊断的吞咽障碍卒中患者出院时的结局更差 (p   =   0.009)。与至少少量口服摄入的患者相比，没有口服饮食的患者对插管 (p   =   0.007)，气管切开 (p   =   0.032) 的需求更高，死亡率更高 (p  <  0.001)。结论: 由于患者的临床评估经常错误地对吞咽困难进行分类，在ICU患者中广泛使用费用可能有助于充分调整患者的口服饮食。这些知识可能有助于降低死亡率和发病率。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: OBJECTIVE:To define the effects of Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT on swallowing and voice in eight patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease.

METHODS:Each patient received a modified barium swallow (MBS) in addition to voice recording before and after 1 month of LSVT. Swallowing motility disorders were defined and temporal measures of the swallow were completed from the MBS. Voice evaluation included measures of vocal intensity, fundamental frequency, and the patient's perception of speech change.

RESULTS:before LSVT, the most prevalent swallowing motility disorders were oral phase problems including reduced tongue control and strength. Reduced tongue base retraction resulting in residue in the vallecula was the most common disorder in the pharyngeal stage of the swallow. Oral transit time (OTT) and pharyngeal transit time (PTT) were prolonged. After LSVT, there was an overall 51% reduction in the number of swallowing motility disorders. Some temporal measures of swallowing were also significantly reduced as was the approximate amount of oral residue after 3 ml and 5 ml liquid swallows. Voice changes after LSVT included a significant increase in vocal intensity during sustained vowel phonation as well as during reading.

CONCLUSIONS:LSVT seemingly improved neuromuscular control of the entire upper aerodigestive tract, improving oral tongue and tongue base function during the oral and pharyngeal phases of swallowing as well as improving vocal intensity.

背景与目标： 目的 : 定义Lee Silverman语音治疗 (LSVT对8例特发性帕金森氏病患者的吞咽和语音的影响。
方法 : 除了在LSVT前后1个月的语音记录外，每位患者还接受了改良的钡吞咽 (MBS)。定义了吞咽运动障碍，并从MBS中完成了吞咽的时间测量。语音评估包括声音强度，基本频率，以及患者对言语的感知变化。
结果 : 在LSVT之前，最普遍的吞咽运动障碍是口腔阶段的问题，包括减少的舌头控制和力量。减少的舌根回缩导致的山谷中残留是吞咽阶段最常见的疾病。口腔通过时间 (OTT) 和咽通过时间 (PTT) 延长。LSVT后，吞咽运动障碍的数量总体51% 减少。吞咽的一些时间测量也显着减少，3毫升和5毫升液体吞咽后的口腔残留物的大致数量也显着减少。LSVT后的声音变化包括在持续元音发声以及阅读期间发声强度的显着增加。<
结论 :LSVT似乎改善了整个上消化道的神经肌肉控制，改善了吞咽的口腔和咽阶段的口腔舌和舌根功能，并改善了声音强度。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :Impairment of swallowing is a common symptom in advanced stage of Parkinson's disease and severe defect of this function may cause aspiration pneumonia, problems with food intake and cachexy. The aim of this study was to assess the reflex and oral, pharyngeal, oesophageal phase of swallowing. Eleven patients with Parkinson's disease and 9 healthy subjects were investigated by electromyography (EMG) and oesophageal scintigraphy. The study demonstrates delayed triggering of swallowing reflex (543 +/- 84 ms in patients with PD vs. 230 +/- 66 ms in controls, p < 0.05) and prolongation of laryngeal movement (1880 +/- 140 ms vs. 1349 +/- 154 ms, p < 0.05). The prolongation of the oesophageal phase of swallowing with predilection to retention of water in lower one/third part of esophagus (12.45 +/- 2.45 s vs. 6.45 +/- 1.18 s, p < 0.001) was observed. The dysphagia limit, that is the maximum amount of water swallowed at once, was also evaluated (all normal subjects are able to swallow 20 ml water or more at once). In the studied patients with Parkinson's disease it was 4.5 +/- 0.86 ml. These results evidently and objectively indicate the presence of swallowing disorders in Parkinson's disease. Dysphagia was observed in all studied patients, although only 8 of them complained about it. In other 3 cases the impairment of swallowing was subclinical and it was connected with prolongation of oesophageal phase.

背景与目标： : 吞咽障碍是帕金森氏病晚期的常见症状，这种功能的严重缺陷可能会导致吸入肺炎，食物摄入问题和恶病痛。这项研究的目的是评估吞咽的反射和口腔，咽，食道阶段。通过肌电图 (EMG) 和食管闪烁显像检查了11例帕金森氏病患者和9例健康受试者。该研究表明吞咽反射的延迟触发 (PD患者为543/- 84 ms，对照组为230/- 66 ms，p <0.05) 和喉运动的延长 (1880/- 140 ms与1349/- 154 ms，p <0.05)。观察到食管下半部分吞咽阶段的延长，并倾向于保留水 (12.45/- 2.45 s vs. 6.45/- 1.18 s，p <0.001)。还评估了吞咽困难的极限，即一次吞咽的最大水量 (所有正常受试者都能够一次吞咽20毫升或更多的水)。在研究的帕金森氏病患者中，4.5为/-0.86毫升。这些结果明显且客观地表明帕金森氏病中存在吞咽障碍。在所有研究的患者中均观察到吞咽困难，尽管其中只有8人抱怨吞咽困难。在其他3例中，吞咽障碍是亚临床的，并且与食管期的延长有关。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :Purpose: To investigate the amount of laryngeal lift during the pitch glide speech task and during a bolus swallow.Method: Modified Barium Swallows (MBS) videos captured speech tasks and bolus trials. Using SwallowTail®, laryngeal elevation was measured by the amount of laryngeal lift from rest to its maximum excursion during each subject's pitch glide and 5 mL thin liquid, 20 mL thin liquid, and 15 mL puree trials. Paired t-tests, with Bonferroni correction, determined if there was a difference in laryngeal lift between the pitch glide and the bolus trials. Two methods were used to compare the methodology of measuring laryngeal lift.Result: Each subject's pitch glide was compared to their swallows. Laryngeal lift during the bolus swallow was greater than the lift during the pitch glide by an average of 1.10 cm, 1.38 cm, and 1.34 cm for 5 mL thin liquid, 20 mL thin liquid, and 15 mL puree, respectively. There was a significant difference in laryngeal lift between the pitch glide task and the 20 mL thin liquid, 5 mL thin liquid, and 15 mL puree swallows. Measurement tracking the posterior cricoid detected greater differences than the previous methodology using the hyoid.Conclusion: In this group of dysphagic patients, the larynx lifted significantly less during a pitch glide than during bolus swallows.

背景与目标： 目的: 研究俯仰滑行语音任务和推注吞咽过程中喉部提升的量。方法: 改良的钡燕子 (MBS) 视频捕获语音任务和推注试验。使用燕尾®,通过在每个受试者的俯仰滑行和5  mL稀液体，20  mL稀液体和15  mL原浆试验中从静止到最大偏移的喉部提升量来测量喉部升高。配对t检验，Bonferroni校正，确定了俯仰滑行和推注试验之间的喉升度是否存在差异。使用两种方法比较测量喉升度的方法。结果: 将每个受试者的俯仰滑行与其燕子进行比较。对于5  mL稀液体、20  mL稀液体和15  mL浓汤，推吞过程中的喉部升力分别大于俯仰滑行过程中的升力，平均分别为1.10  cm、1.38 cm cm和1.34  cm。俯仰滑翔任务与20  mL稀液、5  mL稀液、15  mL原浆燕子的喉部升力有显著性差异。与以前使用舌骨的方法相比，后环状肌的测量跟踪检测到更大的差异。结论: 在这组吞咽困难的患者中，在俯仰滑行期间的喉部抬起明显少于推注吞咽期间。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: OBJECTIVES:Dysphagia can be caused by a myriad of disease processes, and it has significant impacts on patients' quality of life, life expectancy, and economic burden. To date, the most common causes of dysphagia in outpatient tertiary-care swallowing centers are unknown. We undertook this study to determine these prevalences. We also describe the diagnostic techniques utilized to establish the diagnosis. METHODS:The electronic charts of 100 consecutive patients who presented to an outpatient tertiary-care university swallowing center between January 2010 and April 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. Information regarding patient demographics, validated symptom surveys, diagnostic workups, and ultimate diagnoses was abstracted and tabulated into a central database. Descriptive statistics were used to evaluate the association between patient symptoms and diagnoses. RESULTS:The mean age of the entire cohort was 62 +/- 13.5 years, and 58% of the cohort was male. The most common identified causes of dysphagia were reflux (27%), postirradiation dysphagia (14%), and cricopharyngeus muscle dysfunction (11%). In 13% of cases, the cause of dysphagia was undetermined. The diagnostic tests utilized included flexible laryngoscopy (71%; 17% with endoscopic swallow evaluation), modified barium swallow study (45%), esophagoscopy (35%), barium esophagography (21%), manometry (10%), and ambulatory pH testing (2%). CONCLUSIONS:The most common causes of dysphagia in a tertiary-care swallowing center are reflux, postirradiation dysphagia, and cricopharyngeus muscle dysfunction. A precise cause for the symptom could not be identified in 13% of our cohort. Endoscopic visualization (laryngoscopy, flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing, and transnasal esophagoscopy) and fluoroscopic swallow studies were the investigations most often utilized. These techniques can be used to arrive at a diagnosis in 80% of cases.

背景与目标：

BACKGROUND & AIMS: OBJECTIVE:To characterize the problems of feeding and swallowing in individuals with moderate and severe Alzheimer´s disease (AD) and to correlate these with functional aspects. METHOD:Fifty patients with AD and their caregivers participated in this study. The instruments used were: Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), Mini-Mental State Examination, Index of Activities of Daily Living, Assessment of Feeding and Swallowing Difficulties in Dementia, Functional Outcome Questionnaire for Aphasia, and Swallowing Rating Scale. RESULTS:Problems with passivity, distraction and refusal to eat were encountered in the CDR2 group. Distraction, passivity and inappropriate feeding velocity were predominant in the CDR3 group. The problems were correlated with communication, swallowing severity of AD individuals and caregiver schooling. CONCLUSION:Given the inexorable functional alterations during the course of the disease, it is vital to observe these in patients with a compromised feeding and swallowing mechanism. The present study supplies the instruments to orient caregivers and professionals.

背景与目标：

BACKGROUND & AIMS: BACKGROUND:The precise coordination of swallowing and ventilation is considered an important mechanism for minimizing the risk of pulmonary aspiration. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that the aero-digestive tract is involved in swallowing-ventilation coordination in rats. METHODS:The goal of the first part of the study was to characterize swallowing events associated with ventilation signals obtained using a barometric plethysmograph. This was done in seven rats with the help of esophageal electromyograms. Thereafter, swallowing-ventilation coordination was assessed in 15 rats with right unilateral vocal cord paralysis and 10 rats following oropharyngeal anesthesia. KEY RESULTS:In healthy animals, 92 ± 11% of swallows occurred during expiration and 8 ± 11% during inspiration. Swallow frequency and swallowing characteristics based on ventilation did not change following unilateral laryngeal paralysis. Swallows during expiration decreased (71 ± 9%, P < 0.01) while swallows during inspiration increased (29 ± 11%, P < 0.01) following oropharyngeal anesthesia with lidocaine. CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES:Our findings using a rat model need to be confirmed, however, they indicated that a rat model can be used to study oropharyngeal dysphagia and that laryngo-pharyngeal anesthesia alters swallowing-ventilation coordination.

背景与目标：

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :Swallowing difficulties, also called dysphagia, can have various causes and may occur at many points in the swallowing process. The treatment and rehabilitation of dysphagia represent a major interdisciplinary and multiprofessional challenge. In dysphagic patients, dehydration is frequent and often accelerated as a result of limited fluid intake. This condition results from loss of water from the intracellular space, disturbing the normal levels of electrolytes and fluid interfering with metabolic processes and body functions. Dehydration is associated with increased morbidity and mortality rates. Dysphagic patients at risk of dehydration thus require close monitoring of their hydration state, and existing imbalances should be addressed quickly. This review gives an overview on dehydration, as well as its pathophysiology, risk factors, and clinical signs/symptoms in general. Available management strategies of dehydration are presented for oral, enteral, and parenteral fluid replacement.

背景与目标： : 吞咽困难，也称为吞咽困难，可以有各种原因，可能发生在吞咽过程中的许多点。吞咽困难的治疗和康复是一项重大的跨学科和多专业挑战。在吞咽困难的患者中，由于液体摄入有限，脱水频繁且经常加速。这种情况是由于细胞内空间的水分流失，干扰了正常的电解质和液体水平，从而干扰了代谢过程和身体功能。脱水与发病率和死亡率增加有关。因此，有脱水风险的吞咽困难患者需要密切监测其水合状态，并且应迅速解决现有的失衡问题。这篇综述概述了脱水及其病理生理学，危险因素和一般临床体征/症状。提出了用于口服，肠内和肠胃外液体替代的脱水治疗策略。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :We describe two cases of swallowing-induced tachyarrhythmias that were cured by radiofrequency ablation (RFCA) using a non-contact mapping system (NCMS). In both patients, tachyarrhythmias occurred during swallowing solids and liquids, and mapping and ablation of the arrhythmia using the NCMS was attempted during swallowing a rice ball. During a premature atrial contraction shortly after the swallow, the earliest endocardial breakthrough occurred at the right superior pulmonary vein (PV) ostium in Case 1 and at the left superior PV ostium and postero-inferior right atrium in Case 2. Guided by the NCMS catheter navigation system, the ablation catheter was easily and precisely positioned at a site where the earliest endocardial breakthrough occurred. RFCA at that site resulted in success and no recurrence or complications occurred during the follow-up in either patient.

背景与目标： : 我们描述了两例吞咽诱发的快速性心律失常，这些病例使用非接触式标测系统 (NCMS) 通过射频消融 (RFCA) 治愈。在两名患者中，吞咽固体和液体时发生快速性心律失常，并且在吞咽饭团期间尝试使用NCMS对心律失常进行定位和消融。在吞咽后不久的心房过早收缩期间，最早的心内膜突破发生在病例1的右上肺静脉 (PV) 口，以及病例2的左上PV口和后下右心房。在NCMS导管导航系统的指导下，消融导管可以轻松，精确地定位在最早发生心内膜突破的部位。该部位的RFCA成功，并且在随访期间两名患者均未发生复发或并发症。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :Mandibular advancement in the supine position may influence swallowing during dental treatment under intravenous sedation. This study investigated the influence of mandibular advancement in the supine position on swallowing ability, compared with head extension and mouth opening. The water swallowing test was performed in 13 healthy, awake, supine, adult subjects under four head and mandibular positions. An electromyogram of the suprahyoid muscles was recorded; the duration and peak amplitude were examined. A greater volume of water remained in the mouth during mouth opening and mandibular advancement relative to the neutral position; the volume in the mandibular advancement position was larger and smaller than that in the head extension position and during mouth opening, respectively. The duration of the electromyogram in the head extension position was longer than that in the mandibular advancement position, without differences in the amplitude. Thus, swallowing ability in the supine position was more impaired with mandibular advancement, relative to neutral and head extension positions, but less than that observed with mouth opening. Although unconfirmed by electromyogram, our findings suggest that head extension might improve airway patency by reducing the impairment of swallowing ability compared with mandibular advancement.

背景与目标： : 在静脉镇静下，下颌仰卧位可能会影响牙科治疗期间的吞咽。这项研究调查了仰卧位下颌前移对吞咽能力的影响，与头部伸展和张口相比。在13名健康，清醒，仰卧，成年受试者的四个头部和下颌位置下进行了水吞咽测试。记录舌骨上肌的肌电图; 检查持续时间和峰值幅度。相对于中性位置，在张口和下颌前进期间，口腔中残留的水量更大; 下颌前进位置的体积分别大于和小于头部伸展位置和张口期间的体积。头部伸展位置的肌电图持续时间比下颌前移位置的肌电图持续时间长，幅度没有差异。因此，相对于中性和头部伸展位置，仰卧位的吞咽能力随着下颌前移而受到更大的损害，但低于张口观察到的吞咽能力。尽管未通过肌电图证实，但我们的发现表明，与下颌前进相比，头部伸展可能会通过减少吞咽能力的损害来改善气道通畅。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: BACKGROUND:Dysphagia is a common symptom reported by patients in various medical fields, raising the question of diagnosis. In addition to otorhinolaryngologic examination with a mirror, the current gold standards videofluoroscopy and fiber optic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) are available. Ultrasound is frequently used in everyday clinical practice, although its application for swallowing diagnostics needs addressing. MATERIALS AND METHODS:Between April 2012 and February 2014, 81 subjects (age 19-66 years) with no indication of a swallowing disorder were sonographically examined. The anatomic representation of swallowing structures was evaluated and videos of the cervical part of the esophagus during swallowing of different consistencies (saliva, water, jelly) were recorded and analyzed. In a pilot study, the examination was tested on 3 dysphagia patients. RESULTS:The base of the tongue, the intralaryngeal structures, the cervical spine, and the thyroid glands were well visualized. Sonographic representation of the cervical esophagus section was particularly successful. Its length could be detected at 5.78 ± 1.66 cm, the diameter measured at 0.88 ± 0.10 cm. Sonographic inspection of the sinus piriformis was most difficult; it could not be seen in 39.5% of cases. Visualization of the sinus piriformis was better in cases of normal weight and age <25 years (odds ratios 5.6 and 11.3, respectively). In the examination of patients with a swallowing disorder, three different pathologies (Forestier's disease, esophageal stenosis, and motor neuron disease) were identified as the cause of complaints. CONCLUSION:Sonography enables very good visualization of swallowing and evaluation of the cervical esophagus. Where available, the otorhinolaryngologist should consider ultrasound as a diagnostic option, as it enables repeated evaluation of swallowing and can complement previously available diagnostic tools.

背景与目标：