Behavioral Interventions Targeting Base of Tongue to Posterior Pharyngeal Wall Approximation: A Scoping Review
Dysphagia
Doeltgen, S. H., Francis, R., et al. (2023).
Dysphagia, 38, 768-784.
This systematic review investigates the effect of behavioral rehabilitation interventions on base of the tongue to the posterior pharyngeal wall (BOT-PPW) approximation during deglutition in adults.
CAUL (Australia)
From database inception to February 2, 2022
Published, original, English-language studies (not further specified)
24 total studies: 3 studies investigating long-term effects and 21 studies investigating immediate effects.
<div>For adults with dysphagia, limited evidence found that:</div>
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<ul>
<li>Behavioral rehabilitation interventions (i.e., swallowing exercises) improved base of tongue (BOT) retraction and increased the contact pressure between the BOT and pharyngeal wall in two single case studies.</li>
<li>Maneuvers (e.g., effortful swallowing, Mendelsohn maneuver, non-swallowing exercises) had mixed impacts on BOT retraction in seven studies.</li>
</ul>
<div>The authors of this review conclude that "the clinical applicability and generalizability of the evidence base to long-term clinical improvement ... is considered weak" (p. 780). Additional high-quality research is warranted.</div>
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