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“Hidden in Plain Sight”: A Descriptive Review of Laryngeal Vestibule Closure

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Abstract

A major emphasis in the evaluation of swallowing is to identify physiological abnormalities in swallowing that contribute to or explain unsafe swallowing (i.e., ingested material enters the trachea; post-swallow residue in the pharynx). Impairments in laryngeal vestibule closure are widely recognized as one of the major causes of unsafe swallowing, as it is the primary mechanism and first line of defense for preventing material from penetrating the airway during swallowing. However, this complex mechanism is often overlooked and understudied in swallowing research and dysphagia management. The purpose of this review is to promote a better understanding of the mechanism of laryngeal vestibule closure. We discuss where gaps in research exist and propose future directions for incorporating laryngeal vestibule closure as a primary outcome measure in swallowing research. Additionally, we propose that an increased knowledge of the mechanism of laryngeal vestibule closure will increase diagnostic accuracy and optimize dysphagia management for patients with dysphagia.

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Funding

This study was funded by NIH-NIDCD R01 DC014285.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA

    Alicia Vose & Ianessa Humbert

  2. Swallowing Systems Core, Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA

    Alicia Vose & Ianessa Humbert

  3. Breathing Research and Therapeutics Training Program (T32 HL134621), Center for Respiratory Research and Rehabilitation, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA

    Alicia Vose

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  1. Alicia Vose
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Correspondence to Alicia Vose.

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Alicia K. Vose, MA CCC-SLP, declares that she has no conflict of interest. Ianessa Humbert, PhD CCC-SLP, declares that she has no conflict of interest.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Vose, A., Humbert, I. “Hidden in Plain Sight”: A Descriptive Review of Laryngeal Vestibule Closure. Dysphagia 34, 281–289 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-018-9928-1

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