Joanna Watkins '08

Botulinum Toxin Injection for Spasmodic Cricopharyngeus Muscle Dysphagia

Dysphagia is a potential cause of significant morbidity and mortality, especially in elderly patients with many underlying other medical comorbidities. Spasmodic cricopharyngeus muscle (CM) dysphagia is swallowing difficulty secondary to failure of the muscle to relax. Botulinum toxin (BT) as recently gained much popularity in treating conditions that involve inappropriate muscular spasm and has been shown to be effective in addressing spasmodic CM dysphagia, especially in patients who are poor surgical candidates or have a more diffuse neurological cause as the underlying etiology for their dysphagia. However, further investigation is needed to objectively demonstrate and gain further insight into the role and effectiveness of botulinum injection in spasmodic CM dysphagia.

Therefore, we are conducting a prospective study to investigate the role of botulinum toxin injection in treating spasmodic CM dysphagia by obtaining objective data, including manometry, and videofluoroscopic measures before and one-month following BT injection. During the post injection period, for up to one year, the MD Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI) and swallow logs are completed by the participants.

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Otolaryngology Surgery University of Wisconsin Department of Surgery
First published: 07/15/02 Last updated: 11/24/09 webmaster@surgery.wisc.edu
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