Dysphagia and dysphonia following anterior cervical spine surgery

In a series of subjects studied prospectively over a three-month period, 21 subjects undergoing anterior cervical spinal surgery were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively using subjective measures for evidence of dysphonia and dysphagia, and at six weeks postoperatively were sent a questionnaire evaluating their perceptions of their voice and swallowing. Twelve subjects reported dysphonia or features of voice change following surgery, ten of whom noted their symptoms resolving within six weeks. Nineteen subjects reported symptoms of dysphagia, 15 reporting resolution of symptoms within six weeks. No subject reported dysphonia in isolation from dysphagia. In those subjects reporting dysphagia, symptoms included odynophagia, globus pharyngis, food sticking in the pharynx and coughing/choking episodes. There was no association between the severity of symptoms and their duration. Mechanisms of injury are postulated and recommendations for speech pathology intervention with regard to voice and swallowing are made. Future studies should address the physiological mechanisms responsible for dysphonia and dysphagia following anterior cervical spine surgery, and evaluate their impact upon the voice and swallowing of patients undergoing anterior cervical spine surgery

Choking · Dysphagia · Odynophagia · Pharynx · Swallowing · Cervical and Thoracic Myelopathy · Dysphagia Assessment and Management · Medicine · Spinal Fractures and Fixation Techniques · Surgery