August 2023 Newsletter
Blue Skies, Humidity, Hot Sun! Summer is still with us!
Monthly Motivator
Your talent determines what you can do
Your motivation determines how much you are willing to do
Your attitude determines how well you do it!
Summer is Texas
As a mobile clinic, DiagnosTEX must be very attentive to parking in locations that either provide shade for our generators or where our generators can be facing away from the sun, to keep them running. The heat coming up from concrete below the generators is scorching enough. We will park as close to the building as possible, and if we can park under a porte-cochère at the facility, all the better!
DiagnosTEX Outpatient Clinic
Open to all ages, call and schedule with us Monday through Friday. DiagnosTEX is changing the standard of care for dysphagia evaluation in DFW for both adults and pediatrics! www.dysphagiadiagnostex.com
It is the season for Ice Cream!
Thickened Ice Cream is such an easy and simple pleasure for dysphagia patients!
Single serving (1/2 cup)
- Nectar thick – 1 Simply Thick nectar thick packet
- Honey thick – 1 Simply Thick honey thick packet
- Soften ice cream for 15 minutes and scoop into food processing bowl.
- Process ice cream and SimplyThick gel until mixed or particles in ice cream are thoroughly pulverized.
- Pour/scoop into individual serving dishes or one container suitable for freezing. Remove from freezer when ready to serve.
Note: Ice cream with SimplyThick gel does not thin at room temperature. Pureeing ice cream blends Simply Thick well and a wide variety of ice cream flavors can be used, and toppings such as caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, etc. Final texture is soft and spoonable at room temperature. Critical Control Points (CCP): • Freeze, and maintain freezer at 0°F or less. To order: 800.205.7115 / www.simplythick.com
Dysphagia Tidbit
Understanding swallowing difficulties after spine surgery can improve quality of life
Difficulty swallowing is one of the most common complications of anterior cervical spine surgery (ACSS). Investigators who evaluated possible risk and contributing factors report in Advances in Communication and Swallowing that although most difficulties resolve within two months, the perception of swallowing difficulty can persist for longer, but this does not always correlate with test results. More than 70% of patients report dysphagia symptoms within two weeks following ACSS. Contributing factors may include extent of surgery, prevertebral soft tissue swelling, or altered sensation secondary to nerve traction during surgery. "We see many patients suffering with this problem after ACSS," explained lead investigator Ashli K. O'Rourke, MD, Medical University of South Carolina. "The perception of swallowing difficulty can persist for more than two months following ACSS but often does not correlate with current gold standard testing. This can be a frustrating situation for patients who are given no specific explanation for their complaints." Investigators examined post-operative swallowing changes in patients with dysphagia following ACSS compared with healthy age- and gender-matched individuals. Eligible patients were identified using electronic medical records to cross-reference patients who underwent both ACSS and a videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS), also referred to as the modified barium swallow study (MBSS), between January 2010 and October 2018. Investigators found that patients in the early phase of recovery had significantly more swallowing impairment and a higher incidence of material entering the lungs (aspiration) compared to healthy controls and patients in the late phase of recovery. Their findings agreed with previous studies that also showed improvement in swallowing after two months post-ACSS, with most patients able to return to normal diets shortly thereafter. The thickness of the throat/neck tissues was significantly greater in the ACSS patients at all time points following their surgery compared to healthy individuals. "Healthy swallowing is integral to life by maintaining nutrition. However, eating is also a very social activity, and so patients with dysphagia can suffer from isolation and poor quality of life in so many aspects. Any translational research that can assist in improving dysphagia outcomes for these patients can help improve their quality of life," commented Dr. O'Rourke. John P. Ziegler et al, Characterization of dysphagia following anterior cervical spine surgery, Advances in Communication and Swallowing (2021). DOI: 10.3233/ACS-210034