title: Flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) for neurogenic dysphagia: training curriculum of the German Society of Neurology and the German stroke society.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neurogenic dysphagia is one of the most frequent and prognostically relevant neurological deficits in a variety of disorders, such as stroke, parkinsonism and advanced neuromuscular diseases. Flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) is now probably the most frequently used tool for objective dysphagia assessment in Germany. It allows evaluation of the efficacy and safety of swallowing, determination of appropriate feeding strategies and assessment of the efficacy of different swallowing manoeuvres. The literature furthermore indicates that FEES is a safe and well-tolerated procedure. In spite of the huge demand for qualified dysphagia diagnostics in neurology, a systematic FEES education has not yet been established.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The structured training curriculum presented in this article aims to close this gap and intends to enforce a robust and qualified FEES service. As management of neurogenic dysphagia is not confined to neurologists, this educational programme is applicable to other clinicians and speech-language therapists with expertise in dysphagia as well.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The systematic education in carrying out FEES across a variety of different professions proposed by this curriculum will help to spread this instrumental approach and to improve dysphagia management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, 48149, Münster, Germany. dziewas@uni-muenster.de.
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dziewas
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Johannes Wesling Klinikum Minden, Minden, Germany. Joerg.Glahn@muehlenkreiskliniken.de.
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Glahn
authors.affiliation: ENT and Neurology Departments, Vivantes Klinikum Neukölln, Berlin, Germany. christine.helfer@vivantes.de.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Helfer
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Stroke Unit, HELIOS Klinikum Aue, Aue, Germany. guntram.ickenstein@helios-kliniken.de.
authors.forename: Guntram
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ickenstein
authors.affiliation: St. Martinus Hospital, Clinic for Acute Geriatrics, Düsseldorf, Germany. J.Keller@martinus-duesseldorf.de.
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Keller
authors.affiliation: Schön Klinik Bad Aibling, Bad Aibling, Germany. CLedl@Schoen-Kliniken.de.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ledl
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany. beate.lindner-pfleghar@rku.de.
authors.forename: Beate
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lindner-Pfleghar
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Vivantes Klinikum Neukölln, Berlin, Germany. darius.nabavi@vivantes.de.
authors.forename: Darius
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: G Nabavi
authors.affiliation: German Society for Dysphagia, Munich, Germany. prosiegel@t-online.de.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prosiegel
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany. riecker@rehanova.de.|Reha Nova, Clinic for neurological and neurosurgical rehabilitation, Cologne, Germany. riecker@rehanova.de.
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Riecker
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, ZNN, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Sriramya.Lapa@kgu.de.
authors.forename: Sriramya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lapa
authors.affiliation: Hospital zum Heiligen Geist, Kempen, Germany. soenke.stanschus@gmx.de.
authors.forename: Sönke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stanschus
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, 48149, Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Warnecke
authors.affiliation: DSG and DGN Office, Reinhardtstraße 27 C, 10117, Berlin, Germany. busse@dsg-berlin.org.
authors.forename: Otto
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Busse
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D003479:Curriculum; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004496:Education, Continuing / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005858:Germany; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D009462:Neurology / Q000193:education* / Q000379:methods