Update Oropharyngeal Dysphagia Part 2: Etiology and Therapy

Update Oropharyngeal Dysphagia Part 2: Etiology and Therapy Oropharyngeal dysphagia is a common problem, especially in the elderly. There is a wide range of causes: neurological disorders (such as stroke), osteophytes of the cervical spine, malignancies of the head and neck, as a consequence of radiotherapy or side effect from medication or simply "dysphagia of aging". Where oral feeding is sufficiently impaired then this route may have to be bypassed by percutaneous enteral gastrostomy. When aspiration is a risk, then a cuffed tracheostomy tube may be required. Individual needs must be addressed, usually, and best, by a multidisciplinary team.