Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2014; 18 - a2182
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1388715

Oropharyngeal Dysphagia in Adults after Tracheal Intubation and without Neurological Impairment

Giovana Sasso Turra 1, Chenia Martinez 1, Ida Vanessa Doederlein Schwartz 1, Sergio Saldanha Menna Barreto 1, Sheila Tamanini de Almeida 1
  • 1Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
  • 2Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre

Introduction: When extended the orotracheal intubation (OTI) is considered one of the main risk factors for oropharyngeal dysphagia (OPD).

Objective: To determine the prevalence of OPD in patients without neurological comorbidity who underwent OTI and draw a profile of these patients.

Methods: Prospective cross-sectional study conduction in an intensive unit care, approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (09-617).

Inclusion criteria: Patients have been intubated for more than 48 hours, have to be extubated within 2 and 7 days, being clinically stable, and have a minimum age of 18 years.

Exclusion criteria: Patients have had neurological disease prior to the event that led to intubation, neurological disorders present during extubation, or have had tracheostomy.

Results: In all, 240 patients were evaluated, 40 (16.6%) had OPD, and of these 32 agreed to participate in the study. Mean age was 59.46 years and 40.62% were male. Net food consistency (water) was one in which most patients had clinical signs of OPD (56.25%). There was a predominance of changes in dentition (68.75%) and vocal quality (90.62%) also changed. Respiratory diseases were the most frequent in this group (87.5%).

Conclusion: OPD in postintubated patients is a finding of epidemiological importance in this ICU. The liquid consistency proved the hardest for oral and pharyngeal control in these patients. Voice changes may be related to laryngeal lesions generated by OTI.

Keywords: deglutition disorders, tracheal intubation, intensive unit care.