Facilitation of Oral Bolus Propulsion Using Electropalatography in Patients With Dysphagia

Dysphagia Clinical Trial

Official title:

Facilitation of Oral Bolus Propulsion Using Electropalatography in Patients With Dysphagia

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT00001718
• Other study ID #: 980135
• Secondary ID: 98-CC-0135
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• First received: November 3, 1999
• Last updated: March 3, 2008
• Start date: July 1998
• Est. completion date: June 2000

Study information

• Verified date: July 1999
• Source: National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: United States: Federal Government
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial 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.

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.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 10
• Est. completion date: June 2000
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Both
• Age group: N/A and older

Eligibility

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.

Study Design

N/A

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Deglutition Disorders
• Dysphagia

Intervention

Device:
• Electropalatography

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	Warren G. Magnuson Clinical Center (CC)	Bethesda	Maryland

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

References & Publications (3)

Chi-Fishman G, Stone M, McCall GN. Lingual action in normal sequential swallowing. J Speech Lang Hear Res. 1998 Aug;41(4):771-85. — View Citation

Chi-Fishman G, Stone M. A new application for electropalatography: swallowing. Dysphagia. 1996 Fall;11(4):239-47. — View Citation

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. — View Citation