[Deglutition in patients treated with reconstructive laryngectomy]

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Radiology
• Speech-Language Pathology

Background:

• Reconstructive laryngectomy impacts swallowing function.
• Dynamic radiologic assessment is vital for evaluating post-surgical swallowing.
• Understanding functional and organic changes is key to patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utility of dynamic radiologic studies in patients post-reconstructive laryngectomy.
• To identify and characterize swallowing complications in this patient group.
• To correlate radiologic findings with clinical symptoms and guide therapeutic interventions.

Main Methods:

• 36 patients undergoing reconstructive laryngectomy were studied.
• Dynamic videofluoroscopic swallowing studies were performed using barium.
• Patients were assessed for functional and organic alterations during swallowing.

Main Results:

• Identified functional changes include reduced pharyngeal contraction and epiglottis deflection.
• Organic alterations observed were parapharyngeal diverticulum, stenosis, and posterior pharyngeal wall introflexion.
• Aspiration and retention were noted, even in asymptomatic patients.

Conclusions:

• Videofluorography effectively identifies both known and unknown swallowing complications.
• Findings guide therapy and compensatory strategies for speech specialists.
• This technique is valuable for monitoring treatment outcomes and improving patient quality of life.