Exam Preparation Flashcards
What is the incidence of Dysphagia?
41-60% in stroke units
Describe Dysphagia
Dysphagia is a disorder or difficulty swallowing. It involves disruption of any one or more of swallowing stages; oral, pharyngeal and/or oesophageal
What are the 3 oral stage phases?
Oral anticipatory, oral preparation & oral transit
What is the primary role of the oral anticipatory stage?
Sensory acknowledgement that food is present leads to an appropriate response (e.g. mouth opening, using smell, judging amount to place in mouth etc.)
How many cranial nerves are there involved in swallowing?
There are 6 cranial nerves
How many pairs of muscles are involved in a normal swallow?
There are 26 pairs of muscles involved in a normal swallow
What is the Buccinator Press?
The Buccinator Press is where the cheek tension flattens cheeks down, causing the bolus to be kept within the ‘dental vault’ (i.e. between cheek and lateral teeth)
What is the primary role of the oral preparation stage?
The preparation of food and fluid for oral transit and the initiation of the pharyngeal swallow
Describe step-by-step what occurs in the oral preparation stage
- Mouth and lips open to accept bolus
- The tongue forms a groove to accept the bolus
- The lips seal around bolus to prevent any anterior spillage
- Tension in lips and cheeks keeps bolus in the correct place
- Food and liquid in the mouth stimulates taste/temperature and touch receptors
- Saliva is produced as the salivary glands are activated
FOR SOLIDS –> Coordinated movement of the tongue and jaw moves the bolus onto teeth for mastication. **Held at base of tongue
FOR LIQUIDS –> Glossopalatal seal contains to bolus within mouth ** Held anteriorly
What is the Glossopalatal Seal?
The tongue and soft palate contact seals the oral cavity containing the bolus to prevent posterior spillage
What is the primary role of the oral transit phase?
Posterior propulsion of the bolus from the oral cavity into the pharynx following bolus preparation
Describe step-by-step what happens in the oral transit stage
- Tongue tip elevates and presses against the hard palate occluding the oral cavity
- Tongue dorsum & cheek tension hold bolus laterally
- Posterior tongue drops to open the back of the oral cavity
- Tongue-Palate contact expands from front to back- squeezing the bolus back along the palate & into the oropharynx, through the faucial arches
How is a swallow triggered?
The swallow is triggered by sensory stimulation of the superficial mucosal receptors in the soft palate/pharynx & deep tissue receptors in the base of the tongue
What are the two main roles of the pharyngeal stage?
- Food Passage: Propels the bolus through the pharynx, UES towards the oesophagus
- Airway Protection: Ensuring food/ drink don’t enter the airways
What stage(s) of a normal swallow are involuntary?
The Pharyngeal and Oesophageal Phases are both involuntary
What stage(s) of a normal swallow are voluntary?
All three oral phases are voluntary
What prevents nasal regurgitation in the pharyngeal stage?
The velopharyngeal seal; sphincter-like action involving the velum, lateral and posterior pharyngeal wall
What is ‘Hyolaryngeal Excursion’?
This is where the larynx is drawn upwards and forwards; assisting in airway protection and helping to create a negative pressure below bolus during the pharyngeal stage
Describe step-by-step what happens in the Pharyngeal Stage
- The BOT retracts and the posterior pharyngeal wall moves forwards (BOT TO PPW APPROXIMATION) This creates pos. pressure on the bolus
- Hyolaryngeal excursion creates negative pressure below the bolus
- When the bolus enters the pharynx the pharyngeal constrictor muscles sequentially shorten and narrow the pharynx (PHARYNGEAL CONSTRICTION) squeezing the bolus through peristaltic movements to the oesophagus.
- The bolus then passes the the UES into the oesophagus
How does the body protect the airways?
Through EPIGLOTTIC DEFLECTION (the epiglottis tilts backwards to deflect the bolus away) and GLOTTAL CLOSURE (closing/ adduction of the true vocal folds and false vocal folds)
What is the main role of the oesophageal stage?
The primary role is to move the bolus from the UES to the stomach for digestion
What structures are involved in the oral preparation phase?
The lips, cheeks, tongue, hard palate, soft palate, jaw, teeth, tastebuds & salivary glands
What structures are involved in the oral transit phase?
Tongue, hard palate, soft palate, lips & cheeks
What structures are involved in the pharyngeal stage?
Pharynx, pharyngeal constrictor muscles, BOT, vocal folds & laryngeal muscles
What structures are involved in the oesophageal stage?
UES, LES, Oesophageal muscle
When a swallow is triggered through sensory stimulation, where is this information then sent in the brain?
- The sensory information first travels to the medulla (specifically the NTS: NUCLEUS TRACTUS SOLITARIUS) **This is where sensory information about the bolus is integrated with the programming to initiate a swallow
- The NTS then triggers the VENTRAL SWALLOWING GROUP (VSG). This is essentially the ‘motor swallowing centre’ that enables the execution of the programmed swallow
How is the Cortical region of the brain relevant to swallowing?
MOTOR: intent, initiation, programming, execution.
SENSORY: recognition, awareness, motor tuning
How is the Sub-cortical (i.e. Basal Ganglia) relevant to swallowing?
MOTOR: initiation, refinement, inhibition
SENSORY: motor tuning, awareness, conveys sensory information
How is the Cerebellum relevant to swallowing?
MOTOR: refinement, inhibition
SENSORY: conveys sensory information
How is the Brainstem (i.e. Pons & Medulla) relevant to swallowing?
MOTOR: junction between the UMN and LMN, motor & sensory centres (heart, respiration & swallow)
SENSORY: conveys sensory information
How are the peripheral nerves relevant to swallowing?
MOTOR: LMN, drive movement
SENSORY: conveys sensory information
How are muscles and sensory receptors relevant to swallowing?
MOTOR: effect- movement
SENSORY: sensation reception
How do you identify an UMN lesion?
An UMN lesion results in weak or absent voluntary movements of the muscles; which leads to an increase in muscle tone and SPASTICITY. Reflexes can become jerky and exaggerated
CAN STILL RAISE EYEBROWS ON REQUEST
How do you identify a LMN lesion?
A LMN lesion can result in complete paralysis of the affected muscle(s); with ATROPHY, wasting and fasciculations of the muscle due to absence on use.
CAN NOT RAISE EYEBROWS ON REQUEST
What are the sensory functions of Cranial Nerve V (TRIGEMINAL) & why are they important?
- Anterior 2/3 of the tongue
- Hard palate
- Cheeks
- General sensation of the face
IMPORTANT FOR DETECTING ORAL RESIDUE & ANTERIOR ORAL ESCAPE
LIST the 6 Cranial Nerves involved in swallowing
V = Trigeminal VII = Facial IX = Glossopharyngeal X = Vagus XI = Accessory XII = Hypoglossal
What are the motor functions of Cranial Nerve V (TRIGEMINAL) & why are they important?
- Controls muscles of mastication (inc. MASSETER, TEMPORALIS, MEDIAL & LATERAL PTERYGOIDS)
- Controls some muscles involved in hyolaryngeal excursion (inc. MYLOHYOID, ANTERIOR BELLY OF DIGASTRIC)
- Controls some muscles involved in tensing soft palate to assist velopharyngeal seal ( inc. TENSOR VELI PALATINI)
IMPORTANT FOR PREVENTING NASAL REGURGITATION, SWALLOWING BOLUS, AIRWAY PROTECTION & CREATING NEGATIVE PRESSURE
What are the sensory functions of Cranial Nerve VII (FACIAL) & why are they important?
- Anterior 2/3 of tongue
- Special taste sensation
IMPORTANT FOR PROVIDING SENSORY INFO FOR THE SWALLOW, CONTRIBUTES TO FLAVOUR
What are the motor functions of Cranial Nerve VII (FACIAL) & why are they important?
- Muscles of facial expression (inc. ORBICULARIS ORIS = Lip seal & BUCCINATOR = Buccinator Press)
- Secretomotor (Submandibular & sublingual salivary glands)
- Stylohyoid posterior belly of the digastric (HYOLARYNGEAL EXCURSION)
IMPORTANT FOR LIP SEAL, CONTAINING THE BOLUS & FOOR PREPARATION
What are the sensory functions of Cranial Nerve IX (GLOSSOPHARYNGEAL) & why are they important?
- Special taste sensation
- Posterior 1/3 of the tongue
- Gag reflex
- general sensation of the posterior 1/3 of tongue, soft palate, faucial arches
IMPORTANT FOR SWALLOW INITIATION
What are the motor functions of Cranial Nerve IX (GLOSSOPHARYNGEAL) & why are they important?
- Stylopharyngeus (elevates pharynx & larynx)
- Pharyngeal plexus (travels with X to help innervate the pharyngeal constrictors)
- Secretomotor - Parotid salivary gland
IMPORTANT FOR ORAL PREPARATION/ HYGIENE & BOLUS TRANSITION
What are the sensory functions of Cranial Nerve X (VAGUS) & why are they important?
- General sensation of the epiglottis, pharynx, valleculae, pyriform sinuses, larynx & vocal folds
- Special taste sensation of the epiglottis
IMPORTANT FOR SWALLOW INITIATION, DETECTING PHARYNGEAL RESIDUE, DETECTING ASPIRATION/ PENETRATION
What are the motor functions of Cranial Nerve X (VAGUS) & why are they important?
- Muscles of the soft palate (LEVATOR VELI PALATINI = velopharyngeal seal, PALATOGLOSSUS = glossopalatal seal & PALATOPHARYNGEUS UVULAE MUSCLE
- Pharyngeal constrictors
- Intrinsic muscles of the larynx
- Cricopharyngeus/ UES
- Oesophagus
IMPORTANT FOR AIRWAY PROTECTION, SEALS, UES OPENING & PREVENTING NASAL REGURGITATION
What are the motor functions of Cranial Nerve XI (ACCESSORY) & why are they important?
- Muscles of the head and neck
- Pharyngeal plexus
IMPORTANT FOR PHARYNGEAL CONSTRICTION & HEAD/NECK STABILITY
What are the motor functions of Cranial Nerve XII (HYPOGLOSSAL) & why are they important?
- Intrinsic muscles of the tongue
- Extrinsic muscles of the tongue (inc. HYOGLOSSUS, GENIOGLOSSUS, STYLOGLOSSUS)
- Geniohyoid (involved in hyoid elevation)
IMPORTANT FOR BOT TO PPW APPROXIMATION & THE FORMATION OF BOLUS
What are the 5 potential causes of Dysphagia?
- Genetic (e.g. cleft palate)
- Developmental/ congenital (e.g. CP)
- Acquired (e.g stroke)
- Functional (unable to determine a cause)
- Iatrogenic (e.g. consequence of surgery, radiation etc.)
What are the symptoms of Dysphagia?
- Drooling/ anterior spillage
- Pocketing in the cheek/oral residue
- Prolonged oral phase or preparation
- Nasal regurgitation
- Effortful/ multiple swallows to clear throat
- Delayed/ difficulty swallowing
- Coughing on saliva
- Absent or weak cough
- Choking/ coughing while eating/ drinking
- Wet voice after swallowing
- Changes in posture during meals (e.g tilting head to swallow)
- Unexplained weight loss
- Recurrent chest infections
What are the consequences of Dysphagia?
MEDICAL CONSEQUENCES
- Aspiration/ coughing/ asphyxiation/ choking
- Respiratory difficulties (e.g. pneumonia, death)
NUTRITIONAL CONSEQUENCES
- Ability to meet nutritional/ hydration needs
- Vitamin/ mineral deficiencies
- Unexplained weight loss/ anorexia
- Skin breakdown/ reduced immunity
- FTT
- Developmental delay
- Fatigue
PSYCHOSOCIAL CONSEQUENCES
- Financial costs
- Psychological problems/ isolation/ depression
- Reduced QOL
What is aspiration?
Entry of secretions/ food or any foreign material into the airway that passes below the level of the true vocal folds.
When can someone aspirate?
Before, during and/or after swallowing