Novel Approach for Profound Dysphagia

Excerpt

Dysphagia is a common complication of head and neck cancer treatment. Treatment options for head and neck cancer include surgery and/or radiation therapy, which even in the definitive setting, can significantly impact speech and swallow-related quality of life and function. For those who develop recurrence and require salvage surgery, those outcomes are further compromised. Salvage surgical procedures, particularly those involving the naso- or oropharynx, have a high likelihood of developing severe radiation-associated dysphagia due to fibrosis of the oropharyngeal musculature [1]. While dysphagia rehabilitation is effective in the definitive setting, it can have a limited impact when there is inadequate tissue bulk necessary for developing effective propulsive pressure. Novel approaches to addressing the fibrotic-atrophic musculature novel to post-salvage procedures are required to address significant morbidity and increased medical complexity associated with recurrent aspiration pneumonia. …