[Rehabilitation of oro-pharyngeal dysphagia of neurogenic etiology using radiological examination: preliminary results].

Dysphagia is more frequently observed in patients with neurologic diseases (stroke, bulbar or pseudo-bulbar syndrome, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, cranial trauma). Furthermore, the presence of this pathology is obviously more frequently noted in the light of the increase in the length of the human life span. It has become evident that alternative feeding procedures such as the nasogastric tube or gastrostomy may bring about complications and deprive patients of the oral phase of deglutition which plays a leading role in stimulating digestive functions.

[The echographic visualization of the lingual bolus. The reference point in a study of dysphagia].

The videotape recording of the cinefluorographic images obtained with barium swallowing, proved to be very useful in studying pharyngo-esophageal motility. On the contrary, the method failed to be exhaustive in the study of the oral phase of swallowing. In 1983 Shawker et al.

[Dynamic study of oro-pharyngeal deglutition].

Oropharyngeal swallowing is too fast and complex a motion for the human eye to seize its various phases and subsequently evaluate morphology and function of the anatomical structures involved. A chronological subdivision of the swallowing act is needed for a step-by-step analysis. Dynamic evaluation of oropharyngeal swallowing by means of fluoroscopic and US videorecording proved to be a reliable method.

[Echography of the oral phase of deglutition].

Neither cineradiography nor videorecording are satisfactory techniques for the dynamic study of the oral phase of deglutition. Therefore, oral swallowing was studied by means of real-time sonography (US) in 20 asymptomatic patients. Both anatomy and motility of the muscles of the mouth and tongue were clearly demonstrated.

[Diverticula of the pharyngoesophageal area].

Hypopharyngeal diverticula are relatively unknown, with the exception of Zenker's diverticulum. Spot-camera and videorecording techniques were employed for the examination of 95 dysphagic and 250 asymptomatic patients. On the whole, 345 cases.