Clinical Research Directory

K01 Impacts of Lingual Endurance Exercise

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether a tongue endurance exercise program can improve swallowing function in adults with dysphagia after a stroke. It also aims to explore how this exercise may affect brain structure and connectivity involved in swallowing. The main questions it aims to answer are: Primary Aim: Does lingual endurance exercise improve swallowing function compared to a sham therapy? Secondary Aim: Does lingual endurance exercise lead to changes in brain structure or neuroplasticity, as measured by MRI? Researchers will compare a group receiving tongue endurance exercises to a sham therapy group to see whether the treatment improves tongue function, swallowing. Participants will: * Complete a baseline swallowing assessment and MRI * Be randomly assigned to either the lingual exercise or sham therapy group * Complete 8 weeks of home-based tongue exercise therapy * Return for follow-up swallowing assessments * A subgroup of participants will complete a pre-treatment and post-treatment MRI.

Reference Values for Videofluoroscopic Measures of Swallowing

Dysphagia (swallowing impairment) is a serious health condition seen in many age-related disease and injury processes. Although videofluoroscopy (VF) is an international "gold standard" dysphagia diagnostic exam, there is a paucity of available normative physiologic VF reference values in healthy adults across the age span to guide interpretation of these examinations. In this project, the investigators will extend previous work on the quantitative measurement of swallowing physiology from VF examinations to establish reference values for swallowing in healthy adults, and to identify clinical decision point values for differentiating healthy swallowing across the age span from disordered swallowing in several high-risk clinical populations to study dysphagia.

Liposomal Bupivacaine and Transoral Robotic Surgery

This study is for patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. We want to learn more about how we can optimize pain control in patients who undergo transoral robotic surgery (TORS) for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Our goal is to determine if a local anesthetic called EXPAREL® (Liposomal Bupivacaine) impacts postsurgical pain and swallow function in patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma undergoing TORS. EXPAREL® is an FDA-approved anesthetic drug that provides long-lasting and precise pain relief when injected into the surgical wound. Our study team wants to determine if injecting EXPAREL® into the surgical wound will provide better pain relief and swallow function when compared to patients who do not undergo postoperative EXPAREL® injection. Both options for postoperative pain control are considered standard of care for patients undergoing TORS.

Occupational Therapy Rehabilitation for Frail Elders with Dysphagia

The goal of this proof-of-concept study is to assess the potential of a newly developed intervention with combined skill- and strength-based principles for maximizing swallowing-related outcomes and prevent further weakening of the swallowing muscles in older people with dysphagia (difficulty swallowing). The main questions to be answered are: 1. Does the intervention produce clinically significant improvement in ingestive skills during meals in older individuals with dysphagia? 2. Does the intervention produce clinically significant improvements in tongue strength and orofacial function in older persons with dysphagia? 3. Does the intervention produce clinically significant improvements in nutritional status and quality of life in older individuals with dysphagia? 4. Is there an association between perceived autonomy support and intervention engagement when older individuals with dysphagia receive the intervention during hospitalization and continued in community-based rehabilitation after discharge? Participants will be asked to perform goal-directed and task-specific swallowing exercises in eating and drinking activities where the intensity variables include advancing steps of an altered bolus volume and consistency according to a 17-level task hierarchy, which are introduced according to predetermined progression rules, as well as increases in swallowing repetitions. The dosage is 2-3 individual, face-to-face therapy sessions per week for up to a maximum of eight weeks. A therapy session lasts up to 45 min. In between therapy sessions, participants integrate the achieved level from therapy into their daily meals as self-training.

Ultrasound Study of the Submentonian Musculature and Its Relationship in Dysphagia

Acquired dysphagia is one of the most frequent complications suffered by patients in intensive care units (ICU) after orotracheal extubation. Ultrasound has proven to be a useful method in the morphological and kinematic exploration of the main swallowing structures. AIM: to evaluate, through ultrasound procedures, the evolution of the morphology of the tongue and muscles of the floor of the mouth and the hyolaryngeal kinematics in patients intubated \>48h and to correlate these measurements with the possible development of acquired dysphagia. The incidence of dysphagia and ICU acquired weakness (ICUAW) in subjects with \>48h of intubation and the relative risk factors associated with baseline characteristics and clinical variables will be described. METHODOLOGY: Design: Single-center cohort study (Ramón y Cajal University Hospital). Participants: subjects \>18 years old, admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU), with \>48 hours of orotracheal intubation who meet eligibility criteria. Outcomes: the study of socio-demographic and clinical variables related to ICU admission will be included. The physical function variables will be analyzed through the Medical Research Council (MRC) and Functional Status Score (FSS), as well as swallowing function variables through the Volume-Viscosity Swallow (VVS-T) and Functional Oral Intake Scale scales. (FOIS) and Gugging Swallowing Screen (GUSS). Measurements will be made of the thickness and echogenicity of the submental and tongue muscles, as well as hyolaryngeal kinematics

Effect of Botulinum Toxin Injection Into Upper Esophageal Sphincter in Patients With Medullary Infarction

Dysphagia is an important complication in patients with medullary infarction, the incidence rate is 57%-69%. Compared with other brain infarctions, the medulla oblongata involves multiple swallowing-related nerve nuclei, and the possibility of brain remodeling after injury is small. Dysphagia has become a prominent clinical problem in patients with medullary infarction, which can lead to malnutrition, decrease the quality of life of patients and affect the prognosis of the disease. Solving this clinical problem is particularly important for patients with medullary infarction. The incidence of UES opening disorder in patients with medullary infarction is as high as 80%, and the clinical problem of UES opening disorder is enthusiastically studied at home and abroad. At present, the intervention measures include balloon dilatation, surgical incision and botulinum toxin injection. Balloon dilatation is easy to cause mucosal edema and damage, and cricopharyngeal myotomy often has complications such as local infection, massive hemorrhage and local nerve injury. There is no significant difference between the success rate of UES botulinum toxin injection and surgical incision. Among the above measures, UES botulinum toxin injection has a good clinical application prospect, but the drug dosage and injection method are still not unified in clinic. In particular, how to accurately locate has become a hot topic in current research. On this basis, this study uses ultrasound combined with balloon localization to inject UES botulinum toxin and make clinical observation.