[A rating scale and therapeutic strategy in dysphagia in patients with brain stem damage]

Dysphagia appears in 15-17% of cases after removal of tumors of the posterior cranial fossa (PCF), which is one of the most life-threatening postoperative complications due to a risk of acute airway patency impairment, possible aspiration, bronchopulmonary infectious complications. This makes prognosis workse and complicates a patient's rehabilitation. Based on the results of fibrolaryngotracheoscopic study and treatment of 1653 patients operated on for PCF tumors, the authors have developed a scale for rating the severity of bulbar disorders. The proposed scale promotes decision making on the expediency of performing tracheostomy and on the necessity of evaluating the efficiency of performed therapy (trends in bulbar disorders) and predicting the course of a postoperative period.