Abstract:
Objectives: To study the prevalence of dysphagia and its epidemiology,
among patients admitted to the otorhinolaryngology department, Sohag
University Hospital along a year, measure the approximate size of the problem
in our community, and review the different modalities of treatments given.
Study design: A case series study.
Methods: This study included all patients with dysphagia who had been
admitted in our department, between 1st of May 2012 and 30th of April 2013.
All patients had been submitted to a thorough history taking of dysphagia,
complete ENT and neurologic examination. Investigations included water
swallow test, radiologic, endoscopic and laboratory ones.
Results: Among 1861 patients, 346 patients had dysphagia (18.6%). with a
mean age of ±25.8 years. The largest age group was below 10 years, Foreign
Body swallowing was the main cause in 218 patients (63%), and number of
surgically treated patients was 69% of total.
Conclusions: Dysphagia represents a main complaint in a significant number
of patients admitted to ENT department allover a year. A large number of our
patients required tube feeding or gastrostomy, reflecting the increasing
underlying chronic and advanced pathologies.