Multidisciplinary management of dysphagia: the first 100 cases

A report of the first 100 patients treated in the multidisciplinary Dysphagia Clinic in Salisbury District Hospital is presented. It was established in January 1992 and involves the Departments of ENT Surgery, Clinical Radiology and Speech and Language Therapy. In the first 18 months, 100 patients have been assessed and treated. These included 46 males and 54 females, between the ages of four and 93 years. Neurological problems accounted for 39 cases. The management comprised the assessment clinic, videofluoroscopy in 83 patients, and finally the appropriate treatment. Forty-four patients were treated primarily by swallowing therapy. Seventy-three patients showed complete recovery, resolution of their symptoms or did not require treatment. Two patients were still under treatment at the time of writing this paper.