It’s something that most people do without even thinking about it — more than 1,000 times a day.
They swallow.
But abnormal swallowing, or dysphagia, often comes with age, as some of the 25 plus muscles involved in the process diminish.
As the world population ages — with one in six people expected to reach age 60 or older by the year 2030 — experts say that swallowing problems will become more common.
Dysphagia also can be magnified by common diseases such as dementia, stroke and Parkinson’s Disease.
Inefficient swallowing can not only lead to coughing and choking, it can result in malnutrition, social isolation, depression, aspiration pneumonia and even death, according to Dr. James H. Clark and Peter C. Belafsky, in an article they co-wrote in ENT & Audiology News.
“Dysphagia in older adults is common and has the potential to present significant detrimental effects on quality of life and successful aging,” they wrote.
Speech language pathologists, or SLPs, typically manage testing and treatment of dysphagia using fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing, or FEES. Clinicians pass a flexible endoscope through the patient’s nose to view various parts of the throat as swallowing occurs.
Ambu offers the aScope 4 RhinoLaryngo Slim, a single-use endoscope to perform FEES, which works with the aView 2 Advance HD monitor and can be set up at the bedside or wherever needed.
Demand is growing for FEES exams and clinicians who can perform them, industry experts say. Without an objective test like a FEES exam, dysphagia management decisions may simply be based on observed signs and symptoms which can lead to over or under diagnosis.
Single-Use Makes the Difference
Single-use rhinolaryngoscopes eliminate availability and portability concerns and easily meet the growing demand for FEES procedures, while helping clinicians streamline workflow.
A recent study assessing Ambu’s RhinoLaryngo Slim and aView 2 Advance monitor found that all the participants were able to complete a FEES exam without the need for a secondary endoscope.
The study, which first appeared as a poster at the 2023 Combined Otolaryngology Spring Meetings (COSM), included 24 SLPs from 16 sites and used the Ambu aScope 4 RhinoLaryngo Slim and the aView 2 Advance monitor.
The Ambu scopes received a high overall rating and scores of “excellent” in each performance measure evaluated.
“By eliminating the availability and portability concerns of traditional endoscopy equipment and possessing the documentation capabilities required for FEES, single-use rhinolaryngoscopes can meet the growing demand of FEES procedures and create a streamlined workflow for SLPs and clinicians,” the authors wrote.
