Diagnosis and Management of Oropharyngeal Dysphagia and Its Nutritional and Respiratory Complications in the Elderly

Figure 2

Videofluoroscopic pictures and oropharyngeal swallow response during the ingestion of a 5 mL nectar bolus in: (a) a healthy individual; (b) an older patient with neurogenic dysphagia and aspiration associated with stroke. An increased total duration of the swallow response may be seen, as well as a delayed closure of the laryngeal vestibule and delayed aperture of the upper sphincter. The white dot indicates the time when contrast penetrates into the laryngeal vestibule, and the red dot indicates passage into the tracheobronchial tree (aspiration). GPJ = glossopalatal junction, VPJ = velopalatal junction, LV = laryngeal vestibule, UES = upper esophageal sphincter.