Chronic Aspiration: What Are My Options? (2022 AMW)
2022 AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting & OTO Experience
Referrals to Otolaryngology due to chronic aspiration will only continue to increase as the population ages and medicine continues to advance. Patients at most risk of chronic aspiration are the elderly, pediatric patients and patients with neurologic deficits. Similarly, in the era of COVID, patients seeking care due to prolonged ICU stay and deconditioning have already started to fill our practices. The aim of this panel is to present key etiology, discuss common patient scenarios and management options; with an emphasis on surgical approaches. The vast number of surgical techniques can be overwhelming for the clinician; hence we aim to provide an easy to follow algorithm with emphasis on the pros and cons of the most frequently employed surgeries. This will be done via case presentations, with thorough explanation of recommended work-up as well as detailed description of possible surgical techniques. Most practitioners employ a step wise approach in the management of these patients, starting with less invasive procedures and advancing towards more involved surgeries. There are also ethical considerations that have to be deliberated, such as in patients with dementia. All these nuances will be presented during this panel. The discussion will also include medical management with emphasis on the role of swallowing rehabilitative therapy and diet modifications.
Credits
CME:1.0, MOC:1.0