Abstract
Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy need easy operation, and gastrostomy is useful enteral nutrition for dysphagic patients. Although the guidelines for the application of PEG are established, there are no guidelines for the resumption of oral ingestion for patients with PEG or removal PEG. Our aim was to investigate the body function and eating status of convalescing patients after stroke with gastrostomy by multiple centers. 133 patients (men 72, women 61) were enrolled (mean age were 77.1±11.3). We investigated the patientsʼ basic data, Japan Coma Scale；JCS, cognitive function, Activities of daily living；ADL, oral hygiene, the presence of dysarthria and dysphonia, the presence of tracheostomy, the Eating Status Scale； ESS at the investigation (the ESS pre-Videoendoscopic evaluation of swallowing； VE), the presence of aspiration by VE and the desirable ESS by the result of VE (the ESS post-VE). 61.3% of the patients lived in their home or nursing home. The cognition and ADL of most patients were poor, but more than half of them showed favorable oral hygiene. There were many patients with dysarthria and dysphonia. 82.7% of 110 patients were evaluated as non-aspiration by VE. There was a significant difference between the ESS pre-VE and the ESS post-VE (p＜0.01). The present study showed the importance of swallowing evaluation for convalescing patients with gastrostomy after discharge from hospital.
