A Review of Dysphagia Presentation and Intervention Following Traumatic Spinal Injury: An Understudied Population

Overview

Journal Dysphagia

Date 2016 Jul 15

PMID 27412004

Citations 9

Authors

Teresa J Valenzano

Ashley A Waito

Catriona M Steele

Affiliations

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Abstract

Dysphagia is reported to be a common secondary complication for individuals with traumatic spinal injuries. Different etiologies of traumatic spinal injuries may lead to different profiles of swallowing impairment. We conducted a systematic review to determine the characteristics of dysphagia after traumatic spinal injury and to describe interventions currently used to improve swallowing function in this population. A comprehensive multiengine literature search identified 137 articles of which five were judged to be relevant. These underwent review for study quality, rating for level of evidence, and data extraction. The literature describing dysphagia after traumatic spinal injury was comprised predominantly of low-level evidence and single case reports. Aspiration, pharyngeal residue, and decreased/absent hyolaryngeal elevation were found to be common characteristics of dysphagia in this population. The most commonly used swallowing interventions included tube feeding, compensatory swallowing strategies, and steroids/antibiotics. Improvement in swallowing function following swallowing intervention was reported in all studies; however, there was no control for spontaneous recovery. The results demonstrate a need for high-quality research to profile the pathophysiology of dysphagia after traumatic spinal injury and controlled studies to demonstrate the efficacy of swallowing interventions in this population.

Citing Articles

Symptoms and coping of patients with dysphagia after anterior cervical spine surgery: a qualitative study.

Yu C, Chunmei L, Caiping S BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2023; 24(1):498.

PMID: 37330488 PMC: 10276435. DOI: 10.1186/s12891-023-06621-5.

Using Reference Values to Identify Profiles of Swallowing Impairment in a Case Series of Individuals With Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury.

Valenzano T, Smaoui S, Peladeau-Pigeon M, Barbon C, Craven B, Steele C Am J Speech Lang Pathol. 2023; 32(2):688-700.

PMID: 36812476 PMC: 10171848. DOI: 10.1044/2022_AJSLP-22-00298.

Oropharyngeal Dysphagia in Acute Cervical Spinal Cord Injury: A Literature Review.

McRae J, Morgan S, Wallace E, Miles A Dysphagia. 2022; 38(4):1025-1038.

PMID: 36374337 PMC: 10326135. DOI: 10.1007/s00455-022-10535-0.

Establishing a method for quantifying spinal curvature during videofluoroscopic swallow studies: Applying the modified Cobb angle to healthy young and older adults.

Namasivayam-MacDonald A, Riquelme L, Molfenter S OBM Geriat. 2022; 4(3).

PMID: 35291579 PMC: 8919804. DOI: 10.21926/obm.geriatr.2003129.

Videofluoroscopic Profiles of Swallowing and Airway Protection Post-traumatic Cervical Spinal Cord Injury.

Hamilton V, Pitts L, Walaszek E, Cherney L Dysphagia. 2022; 37(6):1599-1611.

PMID: 35212848 DOI: 10.1007/s00455-022-10407-7.

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