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Dysphagia is a watershed symptom that localises poorly. Dividing causes of dysphagia into oropharyngeal and oesophageal does not always best serve the patient. We report the case of a patient whose diagnosis and treatment required three separate specialist referrals to two specialties, with 18 months passing between initial referral and definitive treatment. The predominant pathology was isolated upper oesophageal sphincter dysfunction that responded well to laser cricopharyngeal myotomy. Following surgery, patient symptoms resolved and lost weight was regained. High-resolution manometry showed that the upper sphincter resting pressure had fallen from 117±45 to 21±11mmHg, but the lower sphincter resting pressure had risen, albeit without symptoms, from 16±8 to 44±17mmHg ( p< 0.001 in both cases). Surgery on upper oesophageal sphincter in the presence of lower oesophageal sphincter incompetence is known to lead to intractable regurgitation and pneumonia, and this novel physiological observation further emphasises the need to holistically consider the patient and to systematically evaluate the entire swallowing system before undertaking invasive interventions.

Purpose: Cricopharyngeus muscle dysfunction (CPMD) is a common clinical occurrence with very few clear diagnostic criteria and multiple pathways for treatment. Incidence of CPMD is not known, but some data suggest around 25% of people with dysphagia experience some degree of CPMD, which negatively impacts swallowing safety and efficiency. Workup and treatment of CPMD can require multidisciplinary collaboration across laryngologists, speech-language pathologists with training in dysphagia management, and gastroenterologists. The purpose of this paper is to review what is known about CPMD and identify areas of future research in CPMD diagnosis and treatment., Methods: An overview of CPMD, relative treatments and disorders, and a discussion of future areas of research needed to improve clinical care of CPMD., Results: Details regarding historical background, pathophysiology and treatment practiced for CPMD are included., Conclusion: In summary, CPMD is a poorly defined disease due to a lack of understanding of its pathophysiology and the lack of consensus diagnostic criteria. Well-designed, prospective clinical trials are necessary to develop a better understanding of clinical incidence of CPMD, impact of the disorder on oropharyngeal swallowing, and how to approach treatment of the disorder surgically or in conjunction with therapy directed by a specialized speech-language pathologist., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Zenker's diverticulum (ZD), also known as a cricopharyngeal pouch, is a pulsion pseudodiverticulum located dorsally at the pharyngoesophageal junction. The pathophysiology of ZD involves cricopharyngeal spasm, incoordination, impaired upper esophageal sphincter opening, and structural changes in the cricopharyngeal muscle, leading to symptoms such as dysphagia, regurgitation of undigested food, foreign body sensation, halitosis, unintentional weight loss, and respiratory issues. Treatment for symptomatic ZD typically involves myotomy of the cricopharyngeal muscle. Endoscopic techniques, particularly flexible endoscopy septotomy (FES) and Zenker peroral endoscopic myotomy (Z-POEM), have become preferred options due to their minimally invasive nature. This review discusses the techniques and clinical outcomes of FES and Z-POEM, focusing on specific clinical scenarios to guide the choice between these methods. Additionally, the variability in FES techniques, the effectiveness of Z-POEM, and the impact of different diverticulum sizes on treatment outcomes are analyzed, providing a comprehensive overview of current therapeutic approaches for ZD., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

While many patients who present with dysphagia have a clinically identifiable cause of dysphagia, the etiology of swallowing difficulty is oftentimes a diagnostic enigma. The aim of this article is to review possible etiologies of dysphagia when objective evidence of dysphagia is lacking. Included in this discussion are cricopharyngeal spasm, retrograde cricopharyngeal dysfunction, muscle tension dysphagia, dysphagia secondary to medications, and functional dysphagia., Competing Interests: Disclosure The author has nothing to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Pharyngeal muscle changes occur in patients with Parkinson's disease and related disorders (PRD); however, the association between the structural alterations in the pharynx and the symptoms of dysphagia remains unclear. We assessed structural changes and contractile forces by measuring pharyngeal wall thickness and width. We aimed to define the pharyngeal measurements and determine their value as diagnostic tools for dysphagia. The pharyngeal wall thickness (PWT), pharyngeal width at rest (PWR), and shortest pharyngeal width at swallowing (PWS) were measured using lateral neck roentgenograms and videofluoroscopic swallowing study. We compared the PWR and PWT between the PRD and control groups using an independent t-test. The Kendall correlation test was performed on the radiological data of the pharynx (PWT, PWR and PWS), dysphagia scales (Penetration-Aspiration scale [PAS] and Dysphagia Outcome and Severity Scale [DOSS]), and Hoehn and Yahr scale (HY scale). The PWT was smaller and the PWR greater in the PRD than in the control group (p < 0.05). The dysphagia scales (PAS and DOSS) were correlated with the radiological data (PWT and PWS) and the HY scale (p < 0.05). The HY scale score also correlated with the PWT (p < 0.05). The optimal cutoff points of the PWT and PWR for predicting aspiration were 4.05 and 16.05 mm in the PRD group, respectively. Using the PWT, PWR and PWS, muscle atrophy and contractile strength of the pharynx can be estimated. The combination of the PWT and PWR can be a simple indicator for predicting swallowing disorders at the bedside., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Objectives: The inability to burp, known as retrograde cricopharyngeal dysfunction (R-CPD), was initially described in adults. The proposed clinical diagnostic criteria for R-CPD include belching inability, abdominal bloating and discomfort/nausea, postprandial chest pain, and involuntary noises. Botulinum toxin injection to the cricopharyngeal muscle has been reported to be beneficial. High-resolution esophageal impedance-manometry (HRIM) features in adolescent patients with R-CPD have not been described yet.  The aim of our study was to describe the clinical and HRIM findings of pediatric patients with R-CPD., Methods: Clinical and manometric features of five pediatric patients diagnosed with R-CPD were reviewed. HRIM study protocol was modified to include the consumption of carbonated drink to provoke symptoms and distinctive manometric features., Results: We report five female patients aged 15-20 years who presented with an inability to burp and involuntary throat sounds. HRIM revealed normal upper esophageal sphincter (UES) relaxation during swallowing, but abnormal UES relaxation with concurrent high esophageal impedance reflecting air entrapment and secondary peristalsis following the carbonated drink challenge. Four patients exhibited esophageal motility disorder. All patients reported improvement or resolution of symptoms after botulinum toxin injection to the cricopharyngeus muscle., Conclusions: Adolescents with an inability to burp, reflux-like symptoms, bloating, and involuntary throat noises should be assessed for R-CPD by pediatric gastroenterologists with HRIM. The relatively recent recognition of this novel condition is the likely reason for its under- and misdiagnosis in children., (© 2024 European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition and North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition.)

Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by repeated upper airway collapse while sleeping which leads to intermittent hypoxemia. Upper airway stimulation (UAS) is a commonly practiced modality for treating OSA in patients who cannot tolerate, or do not benefit from, positive airway pressure (PAP). The purpose of this study is to identify the effect of lateral pharyngeal collapse patterns on therapy response in UAS., Methods: A retrospective cohort study from a single, tertiary-care academic center was performed. Patients who underwent UAS between October 2016 and July 2019 were identified and analyzed. Drug-induced Sleep Endoscopy (DISE) outcomes between Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) responders and AHI non-responders were compared. Those with complete concentric collapse at the velopharynx were not candidates for UAS., Results: About 95 patients that underwent UAS were included in this study. Pre- to Post-UAS demonstrated significant improvements in Epworth Sleepiness Scale (12.0 vs 4.0, P  = .001), AHI (29.8 vs 5.4, P  < .001) and minimum oxygen saturation (79% vs 83%, P  < .001). No DISE findings significantly predicted AHI response after UAS. Specifically, multiple types of lateral pharyngeal collapse patterns did not adversely effect change in AHI or AHI response rate., Conclusion: Demonstration of lateral pharyngeal collapse on DISE, in the absence of complete concentric velopharyngeal obstruction, does not appear to adversely affect AHI outcomes in UAS patients., Level of Evidence: VI.

Objectives: To identify and characterize subgroups of stroke patients with clinical signs of dysphagia, based on swallowing-related strength and skill impairments of the submental muscle group., Design: Prospective observational study., Setting: Inpatient rehabilitation centers and community dwellings., Participants: Individuals (N=114), including stroke patients with dysphagia (n=55) and 2 control groups including myopathic patients with dysphagia (n=19) and healthy volunteers (n=40) were included in this study., Interventions: Not applicable., Main Outcome Measures: Novel clinical assessment of strength (force generation) and skill (spatial and temporal precision of muscle activation) of the submental muscle group during swallowing and nonswallowing behaviors, using surface electromyography and dynamometry., Results: Hierarchical cluster analysis revealed 4 clusters, which could be broadly characterized as cluster 1: intact strength and skill, cluster 2: poor strength and poor nonswallowing skill, cluster 3: poor strength, and cluster 4: poor strength and poor swallowing skill. Membership in cluster was significantly associated with medical diagnosis (P<.001). The majority of healthy and myopathic participants were assigned to clusters 1 and 3, respectively, whereas stroke patients were found in all 4 clusters. Skill outcome measures were more predictive of cluster assignment than strength measures., Conclusions: Although healthy and myopathic participants demonstrated predominantly homogeneous swallowing patterns of submental muscle function within their etiology, several subgroups were identified within stroke, possibly reflecting different subtypes of swallowing function. Future research should focus on the nature and rehabilitation needs of these subtypes. Assessment of skill in swallowing may be an important but overlooked aspect of rehabilitation., (Copyright © 2020 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Swallowing dysfunction is a common dysfunction after stroke, and its incidence exceeds 50%. Aspiration pneumonia and malnutrition induced by dysphagia not only cause psychological shock to patients after stroke, but also burden the medical payment. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation, which stimulates the cortex and cortical bulb pathways to improve swallowing function, has been one of the emerging treatments for the post-stroke deglutition disorder. These therapy operators require the proficiency in professional knowledge, limiting clinical large sample studies, so there is an absence of evidence-based medicine. The research is to evaluate the effectiveness of neuromuscular electrical stimulations combined with swallowing-related muscle training to treat swallowing dysfunction after stroke., Methods: Computer retrieval performed in the 9 databases, including PubMed, Embase, Web of science, Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials, China Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), China Knowledge Network Database (CNKI), Wanfang Database (WanFang), and China VIP Database (VIP). Taking the published literature from the establishment of the database until December 20, 2020. Literature searching is related to neuromuscular electrical stimulation randomized controlled trials on the effect of swallowing in stroke. In addition, we will do the manual search in Baidu Academic and Google Academic database as a supplementary search. The correlative randomized controlled clinical studies retrieval time range from the establishment of the database to December 20, 2020. Two investigators will screen the literature according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria independently, during that period they will evaluate the quality of the included studies and extract data from studies. The extracted data are dichotomous data will be represented by relative risk, continuous data will be represented by mean difference or standard mean deviation. If there exists heterogeneity and the final data summary analysis select random effect model. On the contrary, the fixed effect model is selected. Then, RevMan5.3 software was used when analyzing included literature. Meanwhile, the analysis results were illustrated by drawing., Results: This review will summarize available trials aimed at providing a comprehensive estimation of effectiveness of neuromuscular electrical stimulation associated with swallowing muscle training for post-stroke dysphagia., Conclusion: This review based on a comprehensive analysis of currently published randomized controlled trials on post-stroke dysphagia, that provide reliable evidence-based medicine evidence for the efficacy of neuromuscular electrical stimulation associated with swallowing rehabilitation training., Registration Number: INPLASY202110009., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2021 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Understanding the interactions between neural and musculoskeletal systems is key to identifying mechanisms of functional failure. Mammalian swallowing is a complex, poorly understood motor process. Lesion of the recurrent laryngeal nerve, a sensory and motor nerve of the upper airway, results in airway protection failure (liquid entry into the airway) during swallowing through an unknown mechanism. We examined how muscle and kinematic changes after recurrent laryngeal nerve lesion relate to airway protection in eight infant pigs. We tested two hypotheses: 1 ) kinematics and muscle function will both change in response to lesion in swallows with and without airway protection failure, and 2 ) differences in both kinematics and muscle function will predict whether airway protection failure occurs in lesion and intact pigs. We recorded swallowing with high-speed videofluoroscopy and simultaneous electromyography of oropharyngeal muscles pre- and postrecurrent laryngeal nerve lesion. Lesion changed the relationship between airway protection and timing of tongue and hyoid movements. Changes in onset and duration of hyolaryngeal muscles postlesion were less associated with airway protection outcomes. The tongue and hyoid kinematics all predicted airway protection outcomes differently pre- and postlesion. Onset and duration of activity in only one infrahyoid and one suprahyoid muscle showed a change in predictive relationship pre- and postlesion. Kinematics of the tongue and hyoid more directly reflect changes in airway protections pre- and postlesion than muscle activation patterns. Identifying mechanisms of airway protection failure requires specific functional hypotheses that link neural motor outputs to muscle activation to specific movements. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Kinematic and muscle activity patterns of oropharyngeal structures used in swallowing show different patterns of response to lesion of the recurrent laryngeal nerve. Understanding how muscles act on structures to produce behavior is necessary to understand neural control.

Suprahyoid muscle activation and tongue pressure force play a critical role for swallowing function. In addition, dysphagia limit is one of most important factors indicating swallowing efficiency. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of 8-week training sessions of three different exercises including chin tuck against resistance (CTAR), Shaker exercises and chin tuck exercise with theraband on suprahyoid muscle activity, anterior tongue pressure and dysphagia limit in healthy subjects. Thirty-six healthy volunteers aged between 18 and 40 years who scored below 3 points from Turkish version of Eating Assessment Tool (T-EAT-10) were included in the study, and all participants were divided into three groups randomly. Maximal suprahyoid muscle activations and dysphagia limit of participants were assessed by superficial electromyography. CTAR and chin tuck exercise with theraband increased the maximum suprahyoid muscle activation (p 1  = 0.004, p 2  = 0.018), whereas Shaker exercise did not increase maximal suprahyoid muscle activation (p = 0.507) after exercise training. CTAR and chin tuck exercise with theraband increased tongue pressure (p 1  = 0.045, p 2  = 0.041), while Shaker exercise did not increase anterior tongue pressure (p = 0.248). There was no statistically significant difference in dysphagia limits in three groups between before and after exercise training (p > 0.05). As a result, although CTAR seems to be the most effective exercise in most parameters, chin tuck exercise with theraband can also be used as an alternative to CTAR to improve suprahyoid muscle activity and tongue pressure.

Rationale: Mandibular position and motion during sleep rely on the balance between mandibular elevators and depressors. We hypothesized that vertical mandibular position (VMP) modulates airflow amplitude during sleep., Methods: VMP, tidal nasal flow pressure (NFP) and concurrent surface electromyographic activity of the masseters (sEMG-m) were recorded and processed by a customized algorithm from 100 polysomnographic fragments including a micro-arousal (25 obstructive sleep apnea patients). The relationship between mandibular position and changes in airflow was analysed., Result: Concurrent VMP and sEMG-m activity changes routinely occurred before a new steady state of airflow documented by NFP. Vertical mandible depression was associated with a median (95% CI) reduction in NFP of 40.9% (14.6%-71.3%, p = 0.007) while vertical mandible elevation and mouth closure were associated with a median (95% CI) relative increase in NFP after arousal of 52.6% (17.9%-56.2%, p = 0.001)., Conclusion: Elevation and lowering of the mandible were associated with changes in masseteric EMG activity modulating airflow amplitude during sleep., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Cricopharyngeal dysfunction, especially cricopharyngeal achalasia, is a common cause of dysphagia, while patients with brainstem stroke and medullary damage have a relatively high risk of cricopharyngeal achalasia. The aim of this article was to introduce an improved method of CT-guided method of injecting botulinum toxin A into the cricopharyngeus muscle using esophageal balloon radiography, and to assess the effect of the botulinum toxin A injection on swallowing performance. Seventeen patients with cricopharyngeal dysphagia were treated with botulinum toxin A injection using esophageal balloon radiography combined with CT guidance to the cricopharyngeal muscle. Primary outcome measures, including Functional Oral Intake Scale and Deglutition Handicap Index, were performed at baseline, 1 week, and 1 month after treatment. The Levene method was used to test the homogeneity of variance, and the Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the scores between the timepoints. Botulinum toxin A injection resulted in obvious improvement in 15 patients (88.2%) and no improvement in two patients (11.8%). Compared with the scores prior to treatment, the Functional Oral Intake Scale and Deglutition Handicap Index scores were significantly improved at 1 week (P < 0.001 and P = 0.008, respectively) and 1 month after the treatment (P = 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). Thus, CT-guided percutaneous injection of botulinum toxin A is probably a relatively safe, well-tolerated, and viable technique for the treatment of cricopharyngeal dysphagia caused by brainstem injury. Localization with a balloon radiography made the needle guidance easier to visualize.

Background and Objective: Patients with oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC) often have difficulty swallowing, which may affect quality of life (QoL). Radiation dose to constrictor muscles plays an important role., Methods: 54 patients with locally advanced OPC were evaluated after intensity-modulated radiotherapy. Data were collected at standardized intervals using the EORTC questionnaires QLQ-C30 and QLQ-HN35 within two years. The pharyngeal constrictors (superior, middle, and inferior) were each contoured as an organ at risk. Influence of dose to the constrictors (≥55 Gy vs. <55 Gy) on late dysphagia and QoL was analyzed using the t‑test., Results: Late radiation-induced dysphagia depends significantly on the dose to the lower pharyngeal constrictor. At a dose of ≥55 Gy, 14 (64%) patients developed dysphagia grade ≤2 and 8 (36%) patients grade ≥3. At a dose of <55 Gy, the distribution at the end of radiotherapy (RT) was similar: 22 (69%) patients with dysphagia grade ≤2, 10 (31%) with grade ≥3. There was no dose-dependent difference in the severity of dysphagia in the acute phase (p = 0.989). There were differences 18 months after the end of RT: ≥55 Gy: 19 (86%) patients showed dysphagia grade ≤2; 3 (14%) grade ≥3. At <55 Gy, 31 (97%) patients developed grade ≤2, 1 (3%) grade ≥3 (18 months: p = 0.001; 24 months: p = 0.000). Late dysphagia is also dependent on the dose level of the middle constrictor muscle (6 months: p = 0.000; 12 months: p = 0.005, 18 months: p = 0.034). After 24 months, there was no significant difference (p = 0.374)., Conclusion: Radiation dose to the upper constrictor muscle appears to be of little relevance. The middle and lower constrictor should be given special consideration to avoid late dysphagia. Long-term QoL is independent on radiation dose.

Introduction: In patients with OSA, substantial increases in genioglossus (GG) activity during hypopneas/apneas usually fail to restore normal airflow. The present study was undertaken to evaluate if this phenomenon can be explained by reduced activation of other peri-pharyngeal muscles., Methods: We recorded EMGs of the GG and four other peri-pharyngeal muscles (accessory dilators, AD), in 8 patients with OSA and 12 healthy subjects, during wakefulness and sleep. Repetitive events of flow limitation were induced during sleep. The events with the highest increases in AD activity were evaluated, to assess if combined activation of both the GG and AD to levels higher than while awake ameliorate airflow reduction during sleep., Results: Flow limitation triggered large increases in GG-EMG, but only modest augmentation in AD activity. Nevertheless, phasic EMG activity was present in 40 % of the ADs during sleep. In multiple events, increases of both GG and AD activity to levels substantially higher than while awake were not associated with improvement in airflow., Conclusions: We conclude that sleep-induced reduction in AD response to airway obstruction cannot completely explain the failure of upper airway dilators to maintain pharyngeal patency. We speculate that reduction in dilator muscle efficacy may be due to the alterations in motor units recruitment patterns during sleep., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Dropped head syndrome can be the presenting feature of a wide spectrum of neurological conditions. In this study, we aimed to define the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of 107 patients, where head drop was the presenting or predominant clinical feature of a myopathy. Median age at presentation was 68 years (range 42-88). A specific diagnosis was reached in 53% of patients: Inflammatory myopathy (n = 16), myopathy with rimmed vacuoles (n = 10), radiation-induced myopathy (n = 8), sporadic late-onset nemaline myopathy (n = 7), myofibrillar myopathy (n = 4), facioscapulohumeral dystrophy (n = 3), inclusion body myositis (n = 2), mitochondrial myopathy (n = 2), scleroderma-associated myopathy (n = 2), and single cases of necrotizing autoimmune myopathy, drug-induced myopathy, and B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia-myopathy. Splenius capitis had the highest diagnostic yield for a muscle biopsy (67%). When tested, 31/35 (89%) of patients had abnormal pulmonary function tests, 15/30 (50%) abnormal swallow evaluation, 24/65 (37%) abnormal electrocardiogram and 5/38 (13%) abnormal transthoracic echocardiogram. 23/43 (53%) treated patients responded to treatment. Patient-reported limb weakness and neck flexion weakness on physical examination were associated with good response to treatment. A wide spectrum of acquired and hereditary myopathies can present with head drop, some of which are potentially treatable. Establishing a diagnosis is crucial for timely treatment administration, screening for swallowing and cardiorespiratory involvement, and counseling regarding prognosis., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Head and neck surgeries can perturb normal structures of neck muscles and nerve innervations, which are supposed to function in harmony to allow complicated process like swallowing. It is still likely that cricopharyngal dysfunction emerges years after the head and neck surgeries., Case Presentation: We report a case with history of left unilateral vocal cord immobility and development of dysphagia and aspiration 2 years after radical thyroidectomy with neck lymph nodes dissection and medialization thyroplasty. Cricopharyngeal dysfunction was impressed and was confirmed with visualization of cricopharyngeal narrowing segment in radiographic contrast swallow examination. The patient was treated successfully by cricopharyngeal myotomy, achieving long-term relief in our 4 years of follow up., Conclusions: Our case of delayed cricopharyngal dysfunction after radical thyroidectomy and medialization thyroplasty shows that it is important to follow up swallowing functions after patients with UVCI undergo medialization thyroplasty. In the event of delayed manifestation of cricopharyngeal function, it can still be treated successfully by cricoharyngeal myotomy, achieving long term relief of dysphagia.

Introduction and Objectives: The objective of this paper was to show our experience and considerations when quantifying hyoid bone displacement and to observe its correlation with the qualitative scales that evaluate dysphagia., Methods: Hyoid displacement was assessed using the method described by Molfenter and Steele's group in 2014 in a series of 14 patients affected by oropharyngeal dysphagia. The degree of dysphagia was also qualitatively assessed with the Rosenbek Penetration and Aspiration Scale (PAS) of 1996 and with the Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS) of Crary of 2005. All assessments were done before and after treatment., Results: All patients increased their hyoid bone total displacement after the treatment. These variations were highly correlated with the variations in the PAS scale with aspiration or penetration. However, the variations of hyoid bone displacement did not correlate with the FOIS scale., Conclusions: The improvement in total hyoid bone displacement is a clinical indicator of improved aspiration of patients suffering dysphagia. However, the improvement of this displacement is not related to the oral intake tolerance of the patients., (Copyright © 2018 Sociedad Española de Otorrinolaringología y Cirugía de Cabeza y Cuello. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Upper airway patency to airflow and the occurrence of obstructive sleep apnea involve a complex interplay between pharyngeal anatomy and synergic co-activation of peri-pharyngeal muscles. In previous studies we observed large differences in the response to sleep-associated flow limitation between the genioglossus and other (non-GG) peri-pharyngeal muscles. We hypothesized that similar differences are present also during wakefulness. In the present study we compared the response to inspiratory loading of the genioglossus electromyogram and four other peri-pharyngeal muscles. Studies were performed in eight obstructive sleep apnea patients, seven age-matched healthy subjects and five additional younger subjects. Electromyogram activity was evaluated over a range of negative oesophageal pressures and expressed as % of maximal electromyograms. In healthy subjects, the slope response to inspiratory loading (electromyogram/pressures) was similar for the genioglossus and non-GG muscles studied. However, the electromyogram responses were significantly higher in the young subjects compared with older subjects. In contrast, in the obstructive sleep apnea patients, the electromyogram/pressure response of the non-GG muscles was similar to that of the age-matched healthy subjects, whereas the slope response of the genioglossus electromyogram was significantly higher than non-GG muscles. We conclude that both age and the presence of obstructive sleep apnea affect the response of peri-pharyngeal muscles to inspiratory loading. In patients with obstructive sleep apnea the genioglossus seems to compensate for mechanical disadvantages, but non-GG muscles apparently are not included in this neuromuscular compensatory mechanism. Our current and previous findings suggest that attempts to improve obstructive sleep apnea with myofunctional therapy should put added emphasis on the training of non-GG muscles., (© 2018 European Sleep Research Society.)

The distribution of muscle weakness in myasthenia gravis (MG) patients with acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibodies is highly variable. As muscle groups respond differently to therapeutic interventions, it is important to acknowledge this variability. We analysed the distribution of muscle weakness in 225 AChR MG patients over time. On the basis of combinations of muscle weakness, seven phenotypes were defined: 'ocular' (O), 'bulbar' (B), 'neck/limbs/respiratory' (NLR), or a combination (O+B, O+NLR, B+NLR and O+B+NLR). MG remained restricted to ocular weakness in 5%, whereas 7% never had ocular weakness. At last follow-up, ocular or bulbar weakness had resolved more frequently than NLR weakness (40%, 38% and 25%; p = 0.003, respectively). Patients with O, B or OB phenotype at baseline had a higher age at onset and were more frequently male than patients with NLR, ONLR, BNLR or OBNLR phenotype (52.7 ± 17.5 vs. 44.0 ± 18.9; p = 0.007 and 64% vs. 37%; p = 0.002, respectively). MG patients have heterogeneous distributions of muscle weakness and frequently shift between phenotypes. The phenotypic variations found in AChR MG suggest that also other factors aside from the AChR antibody mediated immune response are of importance in determining the disease expression in MG., (Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

As amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) progresses, dysphagia gets worse due to the weakening of pharyngeal musculature. As oral feeding becomes more difficult or dangerous due to worsening dysphagia, tracheal aspiration, or undernutrition, the necessity for tube feeding becomes increasingly important. This study aims to establish a standard pressure point by applying pharyngeal pressure using high-resolution manometry (HRM) to start tube feeding in patients with ALS.This study was designed as a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data. Forty-one patients with ALS and 20 healthy subjects were participated. Both groups were evaluated using HRM, videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS), and pulmonary function test. The swallowing pressure along the velopharynx (VP), tongue base (TB), pre-upper esophageal sphincter (UES), lower pharynx, and cricopharyngeus, as well as minimal UES pressure were measured using HRM.There was significantly positive correlation between the pressure of cricopharyngeus and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1). And there were significant correlations between results of VFSS and FEV1, FEV1%, forced vital capacity (FVC), and FVC%. There was a significant difference in the pressure of TB and cricopharyngeus between the control group and the ALS patient group. The pressures of VP, TB, lower pharynx, and cricopharyngeus have a significant correlation with the recommended feeding type by VFSS.Because it is possible to use HRM to quantitatively assess pharyngeal and respiratory weaknesses and it is more sensitive than other evaluation tools, the cutoff value of HRM parameters may be used to decide the feeding type in patients with ALS.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a chronic and common adult disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of upper-airway obstruction and reopening during sleep. OSA is associated with intermittent hypoxia, sympathetic overactivity, oxidative stress and high cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. It is known to be more common in men than women, partly due to differences in anatomy and functional respiratory components. There are also gender differences in reported symptoms, leading to potential under-diagnosis in females. This gender difference tends to decrease after menopause, demonstrating a role of menopausal status itself in OSA phenotypes. Aging, fat mass distribution, sex hormones and upper-airway collapsibility are postulated to play a major role in these findings. This review focuses on the most recent studies exploring gender differences in the prevalence, pathogenesis and clinical features of OSA. It discusses the role of menopause in this, and explore the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Effortful swallowing training (EST) is a remedial method for the training of swallowing-related muscles in the oropharyngeal phase. However, clinical evidence of its effectiveness is insufficient., Aims: To investigate the effects of EST on tongue strength and swallowing function in patients with stroke., Methods & Procedures: Stroke patients with dysphagia were randomly assigned to one of two groups: an experimental group (n = 12) and a control group (n = 12). The experimental group underwent EST, while the control group performed saliva swallowing. Training was conducted 5 days per week for 4 weeks. Both groups underwent conventional dysphagia treatment for 30 min/day, 5 days/week for 4 weeks., Outcomes & Results: Tongue strength was assessed using the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument. The Videofluoroscopic Dysphagia Scale (VDS), based on a videofluoroscopic swallowing study, was used to analyze oropharyngeal swallowing function. The experimental group showed greater improvements in anterior and posterior tongue strength compared with the control group (p = 0.046 and 0.042, respectively), and greater improvement in the oral phases of the VDS (p = 0.017)., Conclusions & Implications: We recommend EST as a remedial strategy for improving tongue strength and oral swallowing function in patients with stroke., (© 2019 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.)

Purpose This study predicts and simulates the function and relative contributions of the intravelar and extravelar portions of the levator veli palatini (LVP) and palatoglossus (PG) muscles in velic constrictions. Method A finite element-based model of the 3-dimensional upper airway structures (palate, pharynx, tongue, jaw, maxilla) was implemented, with LVP and PG divided into intravelar and extravelar portions. Simulations were run to investigate the contributions of these muscles in velopharyngeal port (VPP) closure and constriction of the oropharyngeal isthmus (OPI). Results Simulations reveal that the extravelar portion of LVP, though crucial for lifting the palate, is not sufficient to effect VPP closure. Specifically, the characteristic "bulge" appearing in the posterior soft palate during VPP closure ( Pigott, 1969 ; Serrurier & Badin, 2008 ) is found to result from activation of the intravelar portion of LVP. Likewise, the intravelar portion of posterior PG is crucial in bending the "veil" or "traverse" ( Gick, Francis, Klenin, Mizrahi, & Tom, 2013 ) of the velum anteriorly to produce uvular constrictions of the OPI ( Gick et al., 2014 ). Conclusions Simulations support the view that intravelar LVP and PG play significant roles in VPP and OPI constrictions.

Pharyngeal lumen volume is prone to increase as a consequence of pharyngeal muscle atrophy in aging. Yet, the impact of this on swallowing mechanics and function is poorly understood. We examined the relationship between pharyngeal volume and pharyngeal swallowing mechanics and function in a sample of healthy community-dwelling seniors. Data were collected from 44 healthy seniors (21 male, mean age = 76.9, SD = 7.1). Each participant swallowed 9 boluses of barium (3 × 5 ml thin, 3 × 20 ml thin, 3 × 5 ml nectar). Pharyngeal shortening, pharyngeal constriction, pyriform sinus and vallecular residue were quantified from lateral view videofluorosopic swallowing studies. Pharyngeal lumen volume was captured during an oral breathing task with acoustic pharyngometry. In addition, within-participant measures of strength and anthropometrics were collected. Four linear mixed effects regression models were run to study the relationship between pharyngeal volume and pharyngeal constriction, pharyngeal shortening, pyriform sinus residue, and vallecular residue while controlling for bolus condition, age, sex, and posterior tongue strength. Increasing pharyngeal lumen volume was significantly related to worse constriction and vallecular residue. In general, larger and thicker boluses resulted in worse pharyngeal constriction and residue. Pharyngeal shortening was only significantly related to posterior tongue strength. Our work establishes the utility of acoustic pharyngometry to monitor pharyngeal lumen volume. Increasing pharyngeal lumen volume appears to impact both pharyngeal swallowing mechanics and function in a sample of healthy, functional seniors.

Introduction: In addition to dyscoordination of upper airway dilator muscles activity, sleep may also alter the pattern of intra-muscular activation of single motor units (SMUs). Such changes should be identifiable by a state dependent change in EMG power spectrum, i.e., a shift in centroid frequency (ƒc) during sleep., Methods: EMGs of the genioglossus and four other peri-pharyngeal muscles were recorded in OSA patients (n = 8), age-matched healthy subjects (n = 7), and 5 young healthy subjects, and ƒc was calculated for wakefulness and sleep periods., Results: ƒc decreased with the onset of sleep and returned to baseline levels after arousal. ƒc of all muscles decreased similarly and significantly during sleep in the OSA and the age-matched healthy subjects, but not in the young subjects., Conclusions: The pattern of decrease in ƒc is compatible with altered synchronization of SMUs during sleep. We speculate that these changes may contribute to the failure of dilator muscles to improve flow limitation during sleep in older subjects., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction and Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine the role of different specialists in the diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), to understand changes in verbal expression and phonation, respiratory dynamics and swallowing that occurred rapidly over a short period of time., Materials and Methods: 22 patients with bulbar ALS were submitted for voice assessment, ENT evaluation, Multi-Dimensional Voice Program (MDVP), spectrogram, electroglottography, fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing., Results: In the early stage of the disease, the oral tract and velopharyngeal port were involved. Three months after the initial symptoms, most of the patients presented hoarseness, breathy voice, dysarthria, pitch modulation problems and difficulties in pronunciation of explosive, velar and lingual consonants. Values of MDVP were altered. Spectrogram showed an additional formant, due to nasal resonance. Electroglottography showed periodic oscillation of the vocal folds only during short vocal cycle. Swallowing was characterized by weakness and incoordination of oro-pharyngeal muscles with penetration or aspiration., Conclusions: A specific multidisciplinary clinical protocol was designed to report vocal parameters and swallowing disorders that changed more quickly in bulbar ALS patients. Furthermore, the patients were stratified according to involvement of pharyngeal structures, and severity index., (Copyright © 2018 Sociedad Española de Otorrinolaringología y Cirugía de Cabeza y Cuello. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To assess quantitative signal intensity (SI) kinetics obtained from serial MRI of swallowing muscles as a potential imaging biomarker of radiation-induced dysphagia in oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) patients receiving radiotherapy (RT)., Methods: Patients were enrolled under an IRB approved Phase II/III randomized trial. Patients underwent serial MRIs at pre-, mid-, and post-RT. Normalized T1, T1+ contrast (T1 + C), and T2 SI for swallowing muscle volumes-of-interest (VOIs) were collected and delta SI changes (Δ) were calculated. Mid- and post-RT SI relative to baseline were assessed and correlations between radiation dose and percent change in SI were calculated. Independent samples' t-tests were used to compare the percent change of SI between patients divided into two groups based on dysphagia status post-RT., Results: Forty-six patients with stage III/IV HPV+ OPC were included in this study. Relative to baseline, mean T2 and T1 + C SIs for middle pharyngeal constrictor were both significantly higher at mid- and post-RT (p < 0.004 for all). Superior pharyngeal constrictor also showed a significant increase in T1 + C SI at mid-RT (p = 0.0004). Additional muscle VOIs showed significant changes post-RT, but not earlier at mid-RT. Both mid- and post-RT doses were significantly correlated with the percent change of normalized T2 and T1 + C SI for examined muscle VOIs (p < 0.002). Mean percent changes of normalized T2 SI at mid-RT relative to baseline for all muscle VOIs were significantly higher in patients who developed grade ≥2 dysphagia relative to patients with no/mild dysphasia (mean Δ%: 8.2% vs 1.9%; respectively, p = 0.002). However, at post-RT, these changes were only significant in T1 SI (11.2% vs -1.3%; p < 0.0001)., Conclusion: Signal intensity kinetics of radiation injury can be broadly correlated with the functional muscular defect. Serial MRI during the course of RT may provide an opportunity to quantitatively track muscular pathology for subclinical detection of patients at high risk to develop dysphagia., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose of Review: High-resolution pharyngeal manometry (HRPM) is a well tolerated, catheter-based, method for recording the pressures and bolus flow generated by the pharyngeal muscles during swallowing. Despite a body of published evidence and a critical mass of investigators in the field, there is a lack of consensus surrounding what biomechanical phenomena to measure. The purpose of this review is to provide some insights into the information on swallowing physiology that can be gathered using HRPM., Recent Findings: HRPM literature has focused on measuring biomechanical phenomena that may be relevant to measure in relation to dysphagia research. This review focuses on the measurement of pharyngeal luminal occlusive forces, intrabolus distension pressure, bolus presence and bolus flow timing as key features of pharyngeal swallowing that require measurement and allow for derivation of the Swallow Risk Index, a global measure of swallow function indicative of swallowing functional reserve., Summary: HRPM allows objective derivation of measures of swallow function that may have value for diagnosis and research in relation to swallowing disorders. HRPM has demonstrated clinical applicability in specific patient populations and offers unique advantages that compliment current assessment methods.

Purpose: To examine the relationship between oral function and sarcopenia staging, including dynapenia and presarcopenia, in community-dwelling older adults., Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in community-dwelling older women aged 65 years and above. We measured oral muscle strength using maximum tongue pressure, oral muscle performance using oral diadochokinesis, and subjective swallowing difficulties using the Eating Assessment Tool. We measured skeletal muscle mass and function and other variables. All participants were divided into 4 groups (normal, presarcopenia, dynapenia, and sarcopenia) using an algorithm that operationally defines sarcopenia staging by skeletal muscle characteristics. A general linear model was used to analyze differences in oral function among the 4 groups., Results: A total of 245 participants were enrolled (median age [IQR], 81.0 [75.0-85.0]). The proportion of normal participants and those with presarcopenia, dynapenia, and sarcopenia was 48.6% (n = 119), 9.4% (n = 23), 30.2% (n = 74), and 11.8% (n = 29), respectively. The sarcopenia and dynapenia groups had significantly lower maximum tongue pressure and oral diadochokinesis than the normal group. In the multivariate analysis, after adjusting for age, maximum tongue pressure and oral diadochokinesis were found to be significantly lower in the sarcopenia and dynapenia groups than in the normal group., Conclusions: In this study, participants with sarcopenia and dynapenia showed low oral function, and similar trends were indicated for oral function and skeletal muscle according to progression of sarcopenia staging. Future research should clarify the characteristics of swallowing-related muscles, including muscle mass, strength, and performance at each sarcopenia stage., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine differences in velopharyngeal structures between adults with repaired cleft palate and normal resonance and adults without cleft palate., Design: Thirty-six English-speaking adults, including 6 adults (2 males and 4 females) with repaired cleft palate (M = 32.5 years of age, SD = 17.4 years) and 30 adults (15 males and 15 females) without cleft palate (M = 23.3 years of age, SD = 4.1 years), participated in the study. Fourteen velopharyngeal measures were obtained on magnetic resonance images and compared between groups (cleft and noncleft)., Results: After adjusting for body size and sex effects, there was a statistically significant difference between groups for 10 out of the 14 velopharyngeal measures. Compared to those without cleft palate, participants with repaired cleft palate had a significantly shorter hard palate height and length, shorter levator muscle length, shorter intravelar segment, more acute levator angles of origin, shorter and thinner velum, and greater pharyngeal depth., Conclusion: Although significant differences were evident in the cleft palate group, individuals displayed normal resonance. These findings suggest that a wide variability in velopharyngeal anatomy can occur in the presence of normal resonance, particularly for those with repaired cleft palate. Future research is needed to understand how anatomic variability impacts function, such as during speech.

A population of appropriately selected patients does not respond, or does not achieve cure, with hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HGNS). We describe the case of nonresponder whose obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) resolved with the addition of chin strap. After initial placement and titration of HGNS implant, follow-up sleep study demonstrated persistent moderate OSA. Drug-induced sleep endoscopy demonstrated supraglottic collapse with activate neurostimulation. With mouth closure and change of stimulation settings to unipolar from bipolar, the airway collapse and desaturations improved. The follow-up polysomnogram with (HGNS) therapy and chin strap demonstrated resolution of sleep apnea. Laryngoscope, 128:1727-1729, 2018., (© 2017 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the presentation of pharyngeal dystonia (PD), which can occur as a focal or segmental dystonia with a primarily pharyngeal involvement for the discussion of treatment methods for controlling consequent symptoms. PD is specific to speech-related tasks., Methods: A retrospective medical record review of four patients with PD was performed., Results: All patients were initially misdiagnosed with adductor spasmodic dysphonia and failed standard treatment with botulinum toxin type A (BTX). On laryngoscopy, the patients were discovered to have segmental or focal dystonia primarily affecting the pharyngeal musculature contributing to their vocal manifestations. A novel treatment regimen was designed, which involved directing BTX injections into the muscles involved in spasmodic valving at the oropharyngeal level. After titrating to an optimal dose, all patients showed improvement in their voice and speech with only mild dysphagia. These patients have maintained favorable results with repeat injections at 6- to 12-week intervals., Conclusions: PD, or dystonia with predominant pharyngeal involvement, is a rare entity with vocal manifestations that are not well described. It can be easily mistaken for spasmodic dysphonia. PD is specific to speech-related tasks. A novel method of BTX injections into the involved muscles results in a significant improvement in voice without significant dysphagia., (Copyright © 2018 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), substantial increases in genioglossus (GG) activity during hypopneas/apneas usually fail to restore normal airflow. We have previously suggested that sleep-induced alteration in tongue muscle coordination may explain this finding, as retractor muscle coactivation was reduced during sleep compared with wakefulness. The present study was undertaken to evaluate whether these alterations in dilator muscle activation during sleep play a role in the pathogenesis of OSA and whether coactivation of additional peripharyngeal muscles (non-GG muscles: styloglossus, geniohyoid, sternohyoid, and sternocleidomastoid) is also impaired during sleep. We compared GG and non-GG muscle electromyographic (EMG) activity in 8 patients with OSA and 12 healthy subjects during wakefulness while breathing through inspiratory resistors with the activity observed during sleep toward the end of flow limitation, before arousal, at equivalent esophageal pressures. During wakefulness, resistive breathing triggered increases in both GG and non-GG muscle activity. During sleep, flow limitation was associated with increases in GG-EMG that reached, on average, >2-fold the level observed while awake. In contrast, EMGs of the non-GG muscles, recorded simultaneously, reached, on average, only ~2/3 the wakefulness level. We conclude that during sleep GG activity may increase to levels that substantially exceed those sufficient to prevent pharyngeal collapse during wakefulness, whereas other peripharyngeal muscles do not coactivate during sleep in both patients with OSA and healthy subjects. We speculate that upper airway muscle dyssynchrony during sleep may explain why GG-EMG activation fails to alleviate flow limitation and stabilize airway patency during sleep. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Pharyngeal obstruction during sleep may trigger genioglossus activity to levels substantially exceeding those observed during wakefulness, without ameliorating flow limitation. In contrast, other peripharyngeal muscles exhibit a much lower activity during sleep in both patients with obstructive sleep apnea and healthy subjects. Coordinated muscular synergy stabilizes the pharynx despite relatively low activity while awake, yet even higher genioglossal activity allows the pharynx to obstruct when simultaneous activity of other dilator muscles is inadequate during sleep.

Pediatric cricopharyngeal achalasia is an uncommon but important cause of oropharyngeal dysphagia. Failure of upper esophageal sphincter relaxation is the currently understood pathophysiology. Therapies include balloon dilation, botulinum toxin injection, and endoscopic or open cricopharyngeal myotomy (CPM). Open CPM is usually performed at the posterior midline of the cricopharyngeus and can be a risky procedure given concern for esophageal perforation and damage to the recurrent laryngeal nerve. Here, we present a novel modified technique for open CPM using a superficial anterolateral transection approach in the case of a young male with refractory cricopharyngeal achalasia., (Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Upper airway patency closely contact with neuromuscular airway regulation during respiratory, especially the activity of the pharyngeal dilators. The genioglossus is the largest pharyngeal dilators with its contraction playing the most important role in keeping the pharyngeal airway open. In healthy individuals, genioglossus activation shows a negative correlation with pharyngeal collapsibility and upper airway resistance. Negative pressure during inspiration can stimulate airway mechanoreceptors to produce a muscle reflex activity. However, in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients, the muscles cannot always compensate for the increased mechanical load, resulting in frequent obstructive breathing events. A number of studies have shown that the collapsibility of upper airway during sleep in OSA patients is closely related to the activity of genioglossus electromyography(GGEMG). The present article describes the current understanding regarding the characters of GGEMG during sleep in healthy adults, as well as the pathophysiology of GGEMG in OSA patients.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs due to sleep-induced upper airway muscle relaxation resulting in increased pharyngeal collapsibility. Clinical trials have shown a favorable effect of exercise training on OSA severity in middle-aged adults. Aging is characterized by motor-unit loss. Force training may affect the whole body muscle tone. We hypothesize that interventions increasing muscle strength might propagate to motor units at the abductor pharyngeal muscles, reducing collapsibility and, hence, sleep apnea severity in elderly patients with obstructive sleep apnea., Methods/design: This is a randomized clinical trial including patients between 65 and 80 years of age, with obstructive sleep apnea, and an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) between 20 and 50 events/hour, diagnosed by out-of-center in-home type III polysomnography. Forty subjects will be included and randomly assigned to two equal sized groups. The participants allocated to the intervention group will attend two sessions per week of one-hour strength training for the legs, arms, chest, back, and abdomen and the controls will receive advice on lifestyle change. The primary outcome measure of the study will be the change in apnea-hypopnea index and the secondary outcomes will be the body composition, evaluated by anthropometric and bioelectrical impedance variables; maximum dynamic force, appraised by one-repetition maximum strength test; muscle quality and thickness by ultrasound; physical function assessed by sit-to-stand test, timed up and go test, handgrip strength test. The study duration will be 12 weeks. Intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses will be performed., Discussion: The high prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea in elderly people is a public health issue. OSA is a recognized cause of cardiovascular disease and reduces quality of life due to sleepiness and fatigue. Exercise is a low-cost intervention that could help to detain the trend towards age-dependent loss of pharyngeal motor units and progressive severity of obstructive sleep apnea. Home-based strength exercises may represent a more practical approach than aerobic exercise for elderly patients. If the results confirm our hypothesis, further research on the clinical application of our findings will be warranted., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02742792 . Registered on 1 April 2016.

Objectives: This retrospective study was carried out to investigate the effectiveness and safety of office-based electromyography-guided injection of botulinum toxin in the cricopharyngeus muscle of patients who did not show upper esophageal sphincter passage in a swallowing study in spite of maximal swallowing rehabilitation., Methods: Thirty-six patients who showed no or limited ability to oral feed after maximum swallowing rehabilitation were enrolled. Video fluoroscopic swallowing study, flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing, disability rating scale, penetration aspiration score, and National Institutes of Health swallowing safety scale were used in the evaluation of dysphagia., Results: Success was defined as nondependence on gastrostomy for patients who previously were dependent on gastrostomy and improvement in disability rating scale score after botulinum toxin injections. The total success rate was 63.9%. The complication rate was very low, with only 1 patient showing temporary unilateral vocal fold paralysis. Botulinum toxin injection was more effective in patients with cranial nerve IX or X palsy than in those without it ( P = .006)., Conclusions: This procedure can be a simple, safe, and effective tool in patients with cricopharyngeal dysfunction after swallowing rehabilitation, especially for cranial nerve IX or X palsy.

Phenytoin induces lymphoid proliferation, resulting in complications that can range from tissue hyperplasia to lymphoma. Some of the complications resolve spontaneously after drug discontinuation. This report describes for the first time a case of dysphagia with lack of velopharyngeal coordination and nasopharyngeal reflux combined with massive palatine tonsillar hypertrophy. The condition did not develop before phenytoin administration, was induced by phenytoin, and spontaneously resolved upon drug discontinuation. The patient was referred for a video-fluoroscopic swallowing study owing to a recurring nasal reflux of foods that had developed since phenytoin administration. The video-fluoroscopic swallowing study revealed incidentally that the large bilateral elongated masses extended downward into the larynx and disturbed velar elevation. This finding was confirmed by computed tomography of the neck, which showed that palatine tonsillar hypertrophy disturbed the laryngopharynx on both sides. The symptoms (sleep apnea and nasal reflux) and the abnormal imaging findings disappeared without surgery approximately 1 month after drug discontinuation. This case suggests that dysphagia related to phenytoin-induced lymphoid hypertrophy may be treated by phenytoin discontinuation followed by a sufficient amount of time to allow symptom resolution rather than by prompt surgery.

Objective: Mano-videoendoscopy (MVE) is a manometry technique with endoscopic confirmation of the pressure catheter. This study aimed to investigate the possibility of replacing a videofluorographic swallowing study (VFSS) with MVE for the precise evaluation of the pharyngeal contraction and the upper esophageal sphincter (UES) function., Methods: The data from 69 patients with dysphagia were retrospectively reviewed. All of the patients underwent both MVE and a VFSS for the evaluation of dysphagia. Manometry was performed with a transnasally inserted catheter (2.6-mm outer diameter and 4 pressure sensors) under endoscopic observation. The sensors were kept at the tongue base, upper pyriform sinus, apex of the pyriform sinus, and UES. We evaluated the pharyngeal contraction and UES function fluorographically and statistically compared the manometric parameters., Results: The fluorographic pharyngeal contraction was diagnosed as good in 28 patients and poor in 41 patients. The UES opening was diagnosed as good in 44 patients and poor in 25 patients. The highest pressure values at the tongue base (sensor 1), upper pyriform sinus (sensor 2), and apex of the pyriform sinus (sensor 3) were significantly larger in the good contraction group than in the poor contraction group. A stepwise logistic regression test revealed that the peak pressure of sensor 2 (upper pyriform sinus) was a robust predictor of fluorographic pharyngeal contraction, and the cut-off level for good fluorographic pharyngeal contraction was >81.5mmHg (specificity, 0.929; sensitivity, 0.870; area under the curve, 0.923). The nadir pressure, pressure drop, and pressure rise in the UES were significantly correlated with the fluorographic UES opening. A stepwise logistic regression test revealed that the pressure drop-the gap between the resting pressure and the nadir of the UES pressure-was a robust predictor of fluorographic UES opening, and the cut-off level to anticipate good fluorographic opening was ≥33.5mmHg (specificity, 0.853; sensitivity, 0.759)., Conclusion: MVE can supplement the information obtained regarding the pharyngeal contraction and UES function, and overcomes the drawbacks of a videoendoscopic swallowing study (VESS)., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

There are numerous heritable diseases associated with mutations in the LMNA gene. Most of these laminopathic diseases, including several muscular dystrophies, are autosomal dominant and have tissue-specific phenotypes. Our previous studies have shown that the globally expressed Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy (EDMD)-linked lamin mutation, L535P, disrupts nuclear mechanical response specifically in muscle nuclei of C. elegans leading to atrophy of the body muscle cells and to reduced motility. Here we used RNA sequencing to analyze the global changes in gene expression caused by the L535P EDMD lamin mutation in order to gain better understanding of disease mechanisms and the correlation between transcription and phenotype. Our results show changes in key genes and biological pathways that can help explain the muscle specific phenotypes. In addition, the differential gene expression between wild-type and L535P mutant animals suggests that the pharynx function in the L535P mutant animals is affected by this lamin mutation. Moreover, these transcriptional changes were then correlated with reduced pharynx activity and abnormal pharynx muscle structure. Understanding disease mechanisms will potentially lead to new therapeutic approaches toward curing EDMD.

Objectives: Gastroesophageal reflux may contribute to the development of cricopharyngeal dysfunction and Zenker's diverticulum. Common dictum suggests that if upper esophageal sphincter tone is reduced through cricopharyngeal myotomy, symptoms of laryngopharyngeal reflux may worsen. We hypothesized that patients who undergo myotomy should show decreased dysphagia symptoms with concurrent worsening of reflux symptomatology and that these changes would be greater in those patients undergoing complete versus partial myotomy., Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed for patients who underwent endoscopic or open cricopharyngeal myotomy, with or without Zenker's diverticulectomy. Preoperative and postoperative reflux symptomatology was subjectively measured with the Reflux Symptom Index (RSI), and dysphagia symptomatology was measured with the Eating Assessment Tool 10 (EAT-10). Patients who underwent partial myotomy via endoscopic stapling of Zenker's diverticulum were compared with patients who underwent complete myotomy (either endoscopic laser-assisted or via an open transcervical approach). The patients were further subdivided into three groups for data analysis: endoscopic staple diverticulotomy, laser cricopharyngeal myotomy, and open approach., Results: A total of 41 patient charts were reviewed. Of these 41 patients, 17 underwent endoscopic stapler-assisted diverticulotomy, 4 underwent endosopic laser-assisted cricopharyngeal myotomy, and 20 underwent open transcervical cricopharyngeal myotomy, with diverticulectomy as indicated. Mean pre- and postoperative RSIs were 21.8 and 8.9, respectively (P < 0.001). Mean pre- and postoperative EAT-10 scores were 19.1 and 5.0, respectively (P < 0.001)., Conclusions: Patients' reflux symptoms significantly improved after cricopharyngeal myotomy, with significant improvement in dysphagia symptoms. Concern for worsening of reflux symptoms following surgery does not appear to be clinically common., (Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Study Objectives: Arousals from sleep vary in duration and intensity. Accordingly, the physiological consequences of different types of arousals may also vary. Factors that influence arousal intensity are only partly understood. This study aimed to determine if arousal intensity is mediated by the strength of the preceding respiratory stimulus, and investigate other factors mediating arousal intensity and its role on post-arousal ventilatory and pharyngeal muscle responses., Methods: Data were acquired in 71 adults (17 controls, 54 obstructive sleep apnea patients) instrumented with polysomnography equipment plus genioglossus and tensor palatini electromyography (EMG), a nasal mask and pneumotachograph, and an epiglottic pressure sensor. Transient reductions in CPAP were delivered during sleep to induce respiratory-related arousals. Arousal intensity was measured using a validated 10-point scale., Results: Average arousal intensity was not related to the magnitude of the preceding respiratory stimuli but was positively associated with arousal duration, time to arousal, rate of change in epiglottic pressure and negatively with BMI (R 2 > 0.10, P ≤ 0.006). High (> 5) intensity arousals caused greater ventilatory responses than low (≤ 5) intensity arousals (10.9 [6.8-14.5] vs. 7.8 [4.7-12.9] L/min; P = 0.036) and greater increases in tensor palatini EMG (10 [3-17] vs. 6 [2-11]%max; P = 0.031), with less pronounced increases in genioglossus EMG., Conclusions: Average arousal intensity is independent of the preceding respiratory stimulus. This is consistent with arousal intensity being a distinct trait. Respiratory and pharyngeal muscle responses increase with arousal intensity. Thus, patients with higher arousal intensities may be more prone to respiratory control instability. These findings are important for sleep apnea pathogenesis., (© 2016 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.)

Traditional upper airway surgery directly modifies skeletal and soft tissue structures surrounding the airway to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Upper airway stimulation (UAS) attempts to treat upper airway obstruction and OSA by stimulating the hypoglossal nerve. The Inspire II implant has been approved for clinical UAS. Basic science data support that UAS prevents obstruction and improves airflow. Clinical results demonstrate that UAS improves respiratory sleep metrics and improves both objective and subjective self-reported sleep and quality-of-life outcomes. In a substantial number of individuals who meet inclusion criteria, UAS appears to be a viable, long-term, low-morbidity treatment of moderate-to-severe OSA., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Oropharyngeal exercises are new, non-invasive, cost effective treatment modality for the treatment of mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnoea. It acts by increasing the tone of pharyngeal muscles, is more physiological, and effects are long lasting., Aim of the Study: The aim of our present study was to evaluate the effect of oropharyngeal exercises in the treatment of mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnoea., Method: Twenty patients of mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) were given oropharyngeal exercise therapy for 3 months divided into three phases in graded level of difficulty. Each exercise had to be repeated 10 times, 5 sets per day at their home. Oropharyngeal exercises were derived from speech-language pathology and included soft palate, tongue, and facial muscle exercises. Anthropometric measurements, snoring frequency, intensity, Epworth daytime sleepiness and Berlin sleep questionnaire, and full polysomnography were performed at baseline and at study conclusion., Results: Body mass index (25.6 ± 3.1) did not change significantly at the end of the study period. There was significant reduction in the neck circumference (38.4 ± 1.3 to 37.8 ± 1.6) at the end of the study. Significant improvement was seen in symptoms of daytime sleepiness, witnessed apnoea, and snoring intensity. Significant improvement was also seen in sleep indices like minimum oxygen saturation, time duration of Sao2 < 90 %, sleep efficiency, arousal index, and total sleep time N3 stage of sleep at the end of study., Conclusion: Graded oropharyngeal exercise therapy increases the compliance and also reduces the severity of mild to moderate OSAS.