Abstract
Current treatments for severe chronic neurogenic dysphagia (SCND) are limited. Modified pharyngeal electrical stimulation (mPES) was modified from pharyngeal electrical stimulation (PES). This prospective study aimed to explore the efficacy and safety of mPES on SCND. 30 patients with severe chronic neurogenic dysphagia were recruited. mPES was administered to patients once daily until the functional oral intake scale score (FOIS) reach 3. Videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS), flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES), and high-resolution manometry (HRM) were utilized for evaluating the swallowing function. After mPES, 24 of 30 patients (80%) reached the endpoint (FOIS = 3) (P < 0.001). 3 of 6 tracheotomized patients (50%) removed the tracheal tube. The median number of mPES sessions for the 24 patients who met the criteria was 28 (17, 38) and the median period was 43 (29, 63) days. Moreover, a significant increase was observed in hypopharyngeal peak pressure (P = 0.015), hypopharyngeal contraction duration (P = 0.023), velopharyngeal peak pressure (P = 0.044), and velopharyngeal contraction duration (P = 0.031). A reduction was observed in PAS (P < 0.001), secretion (P = 0.001), vallecular residue (P < 0.001), left (P = 0.001), and right (P < 0.001) pyriform sinus residue. The median FOIS of 30 patients at 3-month follow-up was 5 (3, 6). No serious side effects were reported. mPES is a promising effective and safe therapeutic approach that is simple to use in patients with SCND.
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This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Numbers 81672256 and 81871846) and the Clinical Research Special Fund Project of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University (Voyage Plan) (YHJH201909).
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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. ZD and HW contributed to conceptualization. HW contributed to methodology. YS, MX, and YL contributed to formal analysis and investigation. XZ contributed to writing and preparation of original draft. XZ, YL, XW, CL, JH, JC, and FZ contributed to writing, reviewing, and editing of the manuscript. DZ contributed to funding acquisition. GW, YZ, YL, and ZH contributed to resources. HW contributed to supervision.
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Zhang, X., Liang, Y., Wang, X. et al. Effect of Modified Pharyngeal Electrical Stimulation on Patients with Severe Chronic Neurogenic Dysphagia: A Single-Arm Prospective Study. Dysphagia 38, 1128–1137 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-022-10536-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-022-10536-z