Abstract
We use two types of management, operation and rehabilitation to improve dysphagia. However, it is not always easy to improve the swallowing function. If inappropriate foods and treatment programs are selected, patients might fail to improve in terms of the swallowing function, and the danger of aspiration pneumonia arises. For the patient's safety during swallowing therapy, all members of the dysphagia team (physician, swallowing therapist, nursing staff and dietician) need to understand the level of dysphagia.
In this study, we try to scale patients with dysphagia according to (1) amount of aspiration, (2) disability with regards to expectoration, and (3) level of unconciousness. We report that the rate of aspiration pneumonia during swallowing therapy has decreased using this scale.
