![]() ![]() Bedside screening aims at identifying patients at risk for aspiration or unsafe swallowing as a step before further clinical assessment. ![]() It is generally agreed that the first step in the management of patients at risk for oropharyngeal dysphagia is bedside screening. This article provides an overview of bedside screening and assessment tools for patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia with emphasis on diagnostic performance and methodology. Apart from videofluoroscopic (VFS) and fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES), a variety of assessment tools and patient self-evaluation questionnaires are found in the literature. Those patients that fail the initial screening need to be referred for further clinical assessment. Early and reliable screening for symptoms of dysphagia in subject populations at risk is an effective and vital first step in appropriate dysphagia management. It can lead to dehydration, malnutrition, or aspiration pneumonia and may have major effects on social and psychological well-being. Dysphagia is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. Any dysfunction in this system may lead to dysphagia. Because the human aerodigestive tract caters to the combined functions of breathing, vocalizing, and swallowing, the large supralaryngeal space created by the low larynx positioning in adults increases a risk of aspiration or choking. ![]()
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