Pediatric dysphagia overview: best practice recommendation study by multidisciplinary experts.

BACKGROUND: Currently, there is no comprehensive and multidisciplinary recommendation study covering all aspects of pediatric dysphagia (PD). This study aimed to generate PD management recommendations with methods that can be used in clinical practice to fill this gap in our country and in the world, from the perspective of experienced multidisciplinary experts. METHODS: This recommendation paper was generated by a multidisciplinary team, using the seven-step process and a three-round modified Delphi survey via e-mail. First, ten open-ended questions were created, and then detailed recommendations including management, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up were created with the answers from these questions. Each recommendation item was voted on by the experts as overall consensus (strong recommendation), approaching consensus (weak recommendation) and divergent consensus (not recommended). RESULTS: In the 1st Delphi round, a questionnaire of 414 items was prepared based on the experts' responses to ten open-ended questions. In the 2nd Delphi round, 59.2% of these items were accepted as pre-recommendation. In the 3rd Delphi round, 62.6% of 246 items were accepted for inclusion in the proposals. The final version recommendations consisted of 154 items. CONCLUSIONS: This study includes comprehensive and detailed answers for every problem that could be posed in clinical practice for the management of PD, and recommendations are for all pediatric patients with both oropharyngeal and esophageal dysphagia.

Functional electrical stimulation cycling in patients with chronic spinal cord injury: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the therapeutic value of lower extremity functional electrical stimulation (FES) - evoked cycling on functional independence, health status, gait parameters, pulmonary functions, and biochemical values in patients with chronic complete/incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifteen patients with SCI (duration of more than 6 months) who were able to stand up and walk with long leg braces or assistive devices and had stable neurological status and trunk balance undertook FES cycling for 6 weeks (three times per week). The main outcomes were: Functional Independence Measure (FIM), Nottingham Health Profile (NHP), 6-minute walk test (6MWT), and 20-meter walk test (20MWT). Secondary outcomes include measurements of pulmonary function tests and biochemical values. All parameters were evaluated at the beginning and end of the program. RESULTS: Improvements were seen in motor and total scores of FIM (p = 0.007), physical mobility subscale of NHP (p = 0.011), 6MWT (p = 0.001), and 20MWT (p = 0.011). In pulmonary functions, only forced vital capacity (FVC) levels demonstrated a significant increase compared with baseline (p = 0.011). Biochemical values reached no significant level. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that the FES cycling exercise program improves motor and total FIM scores, gait parameters, and FVC values of pulmonary functions in patients with chronic SCI experience. The FES cycle might be a valuable and well-tolerated intervention in clinical rehabilitation.

A geriatric patient with spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality: outcomes and causes.

INTRODUCTION: Although the prognosis of spinal cord injury without radiographic evidence of abnormality (SCIWORA) depends on the severity of the initial neurological damage, most patients with American Spinal Injury Association impairment scale grade D are expected to recover fully. CASE PRESENTATION: An 85-year-old patient with SCIWORA and urinary incontinence, who did not produce the expected response to rehabilitation, displayed the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous system findings together. Conventional radiography, computed tomography, and even magnetic resonance imaging were unable to explain this complicated neurological condition thoroughly. More in-depth research into the patient's history revealed some sequelae left by urinary surgery and chemotherapy. DISCUSSION: Comorbidities in geriatric SCIWORA have severe effects on both etiology and prognosis. Furthermore, incontinence in SCIWORA is an essential condition that has not been addressed until now and may play a role in prognosis.