Clinical and videofluoroscopic evaluation of swallowing disorders.

Abstract

Swallowing and feeding problems are common, particularly in elderly persons, and will be an increasing cause of disability as the geriatric population expands. Consequently, the need for clinical and radiologic examinations of patients who have swallowing problems will likely become commonplace. In this review, we define the problem confronting these patients, discuss the clinical and videofluoroscopic procedures used to examine patients with swallowing difficulty, and integrate the results of these examinations and their impact on feeding recommendations.