The Association Between Endotracheal Tube Size and Aspiration (During Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing) in Acute Respiratory Failure Survivors.

Objectives: To determine whether a modifiable risk factor, endotracheal tube size, is associated with the diagnosis of postextubation aspiration in survivors of acute respiratory failure.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: ICUs at four academic tertiary care medical centers.

Development of an Accurate Bedside Swallowing Evaluation Decision Tree Algorithm for Detecting Aspiration in Acute Respiratory Failure Survivors.

Background: The bedside swallowing evaluation (BSE) is an assessment of swallowing function and airway safety during swallowing. After extubation, the BSE often is used to identify the risk of aspiration in acute respiratory failure (ARF) survivors.

Research Question: We conducted a multicenter prospective study of ARF survivors to determine the accuracy of the BSE and to develop a decision tree algorithm to identify aspiration risk.

Application of Manual Therapy for Dysphagia in Head and Neck Cancer Patients: A Preliminary National Survey of Treatment Trends and Adverse Events.

Background: Radiation-associated dysphagia is a common and debilitating consequence of treatment for head and neck cancer (HNC). Since commonly employed dysphagia therapy programs for HNC patients still lack authoritative efficacy, some speech-language pathologists (SLPs) have started employing manual therapy (MT) techniques in an attempt to prevent or rehabilitate dysphagia in this patient population. However, exceptionally little is known about the use of MT in this patient population.

Relationship Between Laryngeal Sensation, Length of Intubation, and Aspiration in Patients with Acute Respiratory Failure.

Dysphagia is common in hospitalized patients post-extubation and associated with poor outcomes. Laryngeal sensation is critical for airway protection and safe swallowing. However, current understanding of the relationship between laryngeal sensation and aspiration in post-extubation populations is limited.