Facilitation of Oral Bolus Propulsion Using Electropalatography in Patients With Dysphagia

NCT ID: NCT00001718

Last Updated: 2008-03-04

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 10 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 1998-07-31
• Study Completion Date: 2000-06-30

Brief Summary

Electropalatography (EPG), a noninvasive device that provides specific visual output on tongue-palate contact, has well-established usefulness as a biofeedback tool in speech therapy. While EPG has also been shown to be capable of revealing the details of linguopalatal interactions during swallowing, its applicability in swallowing therapy has not been evaluated to date. This study will determine if EPG can facilitate bolus propulsion in patients presenting with swallowing problems of the oral phase. Seven patients with oral dysphagia will be selected to serve as subjects based on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria, and each will be custom-fitted with a pseudo-palate. Each patient will undergo four 45-minute sessions of biofeedback training with emphasis on developing systematic front-to-back anchoring of the tongue against the palate during propulsion of liquid and semisolid boluses. Ultrasound imaging will be used to determine swallow durations and identify oral deficits of swallowing before the EPG biofeedback training, and to identify any changes that may result from the training. Quantitative measurements will also be made of the swallow-related EPG contact timing and pattern before and after training and compared for each individual subject as a function of training and bolus volume. Appropriate statistical analyses will be conducted.

Detailed Description

Electropalatography (EPG), a noninvasive device that provides specific visual output on tongue-palate contact, has well-established usefulness as a biofeedback tool in speech therapy. While EPG has also been shown to be capable of revealing the details of linguopalatal interactions during swallowing, its applicability in swallowing therapy has not been evaluated to date. This study will determine if EPG can facilitate bolus propulsion in patients presenting with swallowing problems of the oral phase. Ten patients with oral dysphagia will be selected to serve as subjects based on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria, and each will be custom-fitted with a pseudo-palate. Each patient will undergo four 45-minute sessions of biofeedback training with emphasis on developing systematic front-to-back anchoring of the tongue against the palate during propulsion of liquid and semisolid boluses. Ultrasound imaging will be used to determine swallow durations and identify oral deficits of swallowing before the EPG biofeedback training, and to identify any changes that may result from the training. Quantitative measurements will also be made of the swallow-related EPG contact timing and pattern before and after training and compared for each individual subject as a function of training and bolus volume. Appropriate statistical analyses will be conducted.

Conditions

Deglutition Disorders; Dysphagia

Interventions

Electropalatography

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

Patients who have undergone comprehensive swallowing evaluations (i.e., ultrasound and/or videofluoroscopic swallow studies, oral sensorimotor examination, and swallowing questionnaire) in the Speech Pathology Section and have been found to have dysphagia with prominent oral signs.

All subjects must be alert and oriented to time and place, able to ingest food by mouth, and have intact or aided hearing and vision.

No patients that exhibit oral apraxia, dementia, aphasia, behavioral problems, and endentousness.

• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)

NIH

Sponsor Role: lead

Locations

Warren G. Magnuson Clinical Center (CC)

Bethesda, Maryland, United States

Countries

United States

References

Chi-Fishman G, Stone M. A new application for electropalatography: swallowing. Dysphagia. 1996 Fall;11(4):239-47. doi: 10.1007/BF00265208.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 8870350 (View on PubMed)

Chi-Fishman G, Stone M, McCall GN. Lingual action in normal sequential swallowing. J Speech Lang Hear Res. 1998 Aug;41(4):771-85. doi: 10.1044/jslhr.4104.771.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 9712125 (View on PubMed)

Logemann JA, Kahrilas PJ, Hurst P, Davis J, Krugler C. Effects of intraoral prosthetics on swallowing in patients with oral cancer. Dysphagia. 1989;4(2):118-20. doi: 10.1007/BF02407156.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 2701094 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

98-CC-0135

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: secondary_id

980135

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id