title: Dysphagia in children with repaired oesophageal atresia.
abstract: Dysphagia is a common problem in children with repaired oesophageal atresia (OA). Abnormalities in the oropharyngeal and oesophageal phase have hardly been studied. The aims of this study were to assess the prevalence of dysphagia in children with repaired OA and to identify and differentiate oral and pharyngeal dysphagia based on videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS) findings in a limited number of children in this cohort. Medical records of 111 patients, born between January 1996 and July 2013 and treated at the Radboudumc Amalia Children's Hospital, were retrospectively reviewed. The prevalence of dysphagia was determined by the objective and modified Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS) in four age groups. The first performed VFSS of 12 children was structurally assessed. The prevalence of dysphagia was 61 of 111 patients (55 %) in age group <1 year. In age group 1-4, 5-11 and 12-18 years, the prevalence of dysphagia decreased from 54 of 106 (51 %) patients to 11 of 64 (17 %) and 5 of 24 (21 %) patients. The 12 VFSS's reviews revealed oral dysphagia in 36 % and pharyngeal dysphagia in 75 %.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study highlights dysphagia as an important problem in different age groups of children with repaired OA. Furthermore, our study shows the presence of oropharyngeal dysphagia in this population. This study emphasizes the need to standardize the use of objective dysphagia scales, like the modified FOIS, to provide a careful follow-up of children with repaired OA.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  • Prevalence of dysphagia in children with repaired oesophageal atresia varies widely (ranges from 45 to 70 %) in literature. • Oral, pharyngeal and oesophageal dysphagia require different treatment approaches. What is New: • We determined dysphagia based on functional oral intake and provide an overview of change in dysphagia prevalence and severity over time in children with repaired OA. • Our study shows that dysphagia, including oropharyngeal dysphagia, is highly prevalent in young children with repaired OA and improves with time.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Radboudumc Amalia Children's Hospital, PO box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. catelijne.coppens@radboudumc.nl.
authors.forename: Catelijne H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Coppens
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboudumc, Geert Grooteplein 10, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Lenie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: van den Engel-Hoek
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Surgery, Radboudumc Amalia Children's Hospital, PO box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Horst
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Scharbatke
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboudumc, Geert Grooteplein 10, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sandra A F
authors.initials: SAF
authors.lastname: de Groot
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Radboudumc Amalia Children's Hospital, PO box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jos M T
authors.initials: JMT
authors.lastname: Draaisma
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004933:Esophageal Atresia / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005471:Fluoroscopy; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Dysphagia; Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS); Oesophageal atresia (OA); Oropharyngeal dysphagia; Videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS)