2006 Volume 10 Issue 3 Pages 249-256
【Objective】The purpose of this study is to investigate the dominant bolus transport side to the hypopharynx and passage side at the cricopharyngeal portion in patients with Wallenberg syndrome.
【Subjects and methods】The subjects consisted of 47 trials of videofluoroscopy in 24 cases of Wallenberg syndrome presenting with dysphagia.We evaluated the dominant bolus transport side to the hypopharynx and passage side at the cricopharyngeal portion with the head in the neutral position by using videofluoroscopy in the antero-postenor projection. When the transport side was the affected side, head rotation or swallowing in the decubitus position was performed to lead the bolus to the non-affected side.
【Results】The dominant bolus transport side to the hypopharynx was as follows：15 (32％) were both sides with no laterality, 24 (51％) were the affected side and 8 (17％) were the non-affected side. The dominant bolus passage side at the cricopharyngeal portion was as follows：6 (13％) were both sides with no laterality, 9 (19％) were the affected side,16 (34％) were the non-affected side and 16 (34％) were no passage. The efficacy of adjusting the swallowing position to control the bolus was 80％ when the transport side was the affected side.
【Conclusion】The dominant bolus transport side to the hypopharynx is often the affected side although the dominant bolus passage side at the cricopharyngeal portion is the non-affected side. It is considered important to control bolus transport by adjusting the swallowing position.
