Abstract
We treated 8 patients with dysphagia using laryngeal suspension at Kochi Medical School from 1999 to 2003. Of the 8 patients, 5 had developed dysphagia following the resection of the head and neck tumor and 3 were cerebrovascular disease. All patients had strengthened the ability of the swallowing function postoperatively. Six of these 8 patients (5 head and neck tumor patients and 1 cerebrovascular disease patient) were able to eat by mouth, while 2 patients (2 cerebrovascular disease patients) still required enteral feeding. However, even in the two patients, postoperative aspiration and pulmonary infection remarkably decreased. The results showed that laryngeal suspension offered certain advantages in the management of patients with dysphagia.
