February 2007 Newsletter
Consultants in Dysphagia Evaluation and Management
817-514-MBS1 or 1-888-514-MBS1
www.dysphagiadiagnosTEX.com
February 2007
Happy Valentines Day!
Monthly Motivator
ATTITUDE
There is never a crowd on the extra mile
Upcoming CEU’s
Houston, Texas – NPO- Ethical Dilemmas and Challenging Case Management Decisions– February 24, 2007 Professional Imaging LLC is a Mobile MBSS company in East Texas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio, not a part of DiagnosTEX, LLC. They have invited me as a guest speaker; please call their Corp office
1-866-675-MBSS to register or any questions.
**Hurst Texas – Tracheostomy 101** – Hosted by DiagnosTEX
Saturday March 3, 2007 – registration forms included this new newsletter
Texas winter weather is here! Unfortunately here in Texas we do not get a beautiful snow fall, we get ice. This becomes a problem for anyone who travels, and we do a lot of that! As winter approaches and the threat of severe weather conditions arise, DiagnosTEX owners and drivers will evaluate the conditions of the roads and DiagnosTEX will contact all scheduled facilities scheduled immediately if we are unable to meet our schedule. If the weather conditions are so severe, as not to put our staff at risk driving in to work, we will cancel the day and reschedule the facilities as promptly as possible. If bad weather begins to occur during the work day, the owner and the driver present on the mobile unit will decide together if any changes in the schedule should be made. Although the patients are extremely important we do not want to risk the safety of our employees or vehicles to prevent further delay of our service to you due to injury or damaged vehicles. Even minor damage to the mobile vehicle can put us down for days. It also very different when one is driving into one location and staying at that location all day versus driving all over the Metroplex on various roads and bridges all day long, the risk becoming higher. Our decisions to drive that day may be based upon whether or not public schools are closed because of road conditions. Please drive carefully during these winter ice storms!
2007 Dysphagia Calendar – Be sure to get your new DiagnosTEX 2007 Dysphagia Calendar! If you have not gotten one already!
Visit the DiagnosTEX Website! Check it out! – www.dysphagiadiagnosTEX.com On the DiagnosTEX website you can find out about us! Check on conferences, newsletters, required scheduling paperwork, email us, see MBSS videos, shop our bookstore, download our SLP handouts, and so much more to come!
CHOCOLATE FOR YOUR HEALTH ON VALENTINES DAY! –Molecules in cocoa credited for the “heart-healthy” benefits of certain cocoa and dark chocolate may also in the future help treat diabetes, strokes and vascular dementia, and could soon be available to pharmaceutical companies for development into new medications, scientists said Monday. Researchers said their findings point toward a potential major new class of medications, based on novel synthesized flavanols, to help prevent or treat serious illnesses “The mounting scientific evidence on cocoa flavanols is extraordinary,” said Norm Hollenberg, MD, PhD, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Cambridge, MA, and one of the first researchers to identify the potential health benefits of cocoa flavanols. “This is a scientific breakthrough that could well lead to a medical breakthrough.” Additionally, Mars scientists have discovered that entire “libraries” of cocoa flavanols can be synthesized, and that new flavanols can be developed from natural flavanols, enhancing their feasibility for use in pharmaceutical medications. The research was discussed among scientists from around the world at a meeting convened by Mars, Incorporated, of McLean, VA, which has supported cocoa research for more than 15 years. The company confirmed that it is holding serious discussions with large pharmaceutical companies for a licensing or joint venture agreement that could enable some of these compounds to be developed as prescription drugs. “Our company has a heritage of highly regarded research in nutrition and health science, through partnerships with some of the world’s finest scientists and universities,” said Harold Schmitz, PhD, Chief Science Officer for Mars. “This science is now moving beyond nutrition toward the research and development of important health care solutions. Because Mars is a privately held company, we have the freedom to make the long-term research commitments that deliver truly innovative results.” ADVANCE Dec 2005Molecules in cocoa credited for the “heart-healthy” benefits of certain cocoa and dark chocolate may also in the future help treat diabetes, strokes and vascular dementia, and could soon be available to pharmaceutical companies for development into new medications, scientists said Monday. Researchers said their findings point toward a potential major new class of medications, based on novel synthesized flavanols, to help prevent or treat serious illnesses “The mounting scientific evidence on cocoa flavanols is extraordinary,” said Norm Hollenberg, MD, PhD, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Cambridge, MA, and one of the first researchers to identify the potential health benefits of cocoa flavanols. “This is a scientific breakthrough that could well lead to a medical breakthrough.” Additionally, Mars scientists have discovered that entire “libraries” of cocoa flavanols can be synthesized, and that new flavanols can be developed from natural flavanols, enhancing their feasibility for use in pharmaceutical medications. The research was discussed among scientists from around the world at a meeting convened by Mars, Incorporated, of McLean, VA, which has supported cocoa research for more than 15 years. The company confirmed that it is holding serious discussions with large pharmaceutical companies for a licensing or joint venture agreement that could enable some of these compounds to be developed as prescription drugs. “Our company has a heritage of highly regarded research in nutrition and health science, through partnerships with some of the world’s finest scientists and universities,” said Harold Schmitz, PhD, Chief Science Officer for Mars. “This science is now moving beyond nutrition toward the research and development of important health care solutions. Because Mars is a privately held company, we have the freedom to make the long-term research commitments that deliver truly innovative results.” ADVANCE Dec 2005 Molecules in cocoa credited for the “heart-healthy” benefits of certain cocoa and dark chocolate may also in the future help treat diabetes, strokes and vascular dementia, and could soon be available to pharmaceutical companies for development into new medications, scientists said Monday. Researchers said their findings point toward a potential major new class of medications, based on novel synthesized flavanols, to help prevent or treat serious illnesses “The mounting scientific evidence on cocoa flavanols is extraordinary,” said Norm Hollenberg, MD, PhD, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Cambridge, MA, and one of the first researchers to identify the potential health benefits of cocoa flavanols. “This is a scientific breakthrough that could well lead to a medical breakthrough.” Additionally, Mars scientists have discovered that entire “libraries” of cocoa flavanols can be synthesized, and that new flavanols can be developed from natural flavanols, enhancing their feasibility for use in pharmaceutical medications. The research was discussed among scientists from around the world at a meeting convened by Mars, Incorporated, of McLean, VA, which has supported cocoa research for more than 15 years. The company confirmed that it is holding serious discussions with large pharmaceutical companies for a licensing or joint venture agreement that could enable some of these compounds to be developed as prescription drugs. “Our company has a heritage of highly regarded research in nutrition and health science, through partnerships with some of the world’s finest scientists and universities,” said Harold Schmitz, PhD, Chief Science Officer for Mars. “This science is now moving beyond nutrition toward the research and development of important health care solutions. Because Mars is a privately held company, we have the freedom to make the long-term research commitments that deliver truly innovative results.” ADVANCE Dec 2005
Dysphagia Tidbit – Causes of Dysphagia – Foreign Bodies
Dysphagia Grand Rounds Presentation, UTMB, November 21, 2002 (Reddy, Ryan, Quinn, 2001)
Patients often complain of a Globus sensation or sharp pain when attempting to swallow. Foreign bodies usually lodge themselves in the pharyngeal or lingual tonsils or in the pyriform sinus area. Statistically foreign bodies are only identified in 25% of the patients who complain of their presence. (Reddy, Ryan, Quinn 2001). Serious complications that can result from a persistent obstruction include abscesses, perforation, and cellulitis, and may present with fever, dysphagia, and odynophagia. The most common esophageal foreign bodies in adults are meat impactions or chicken and fish bones. Coins, button batteries are common in children. Most adults usually have other esophageal pathology contributing to the inadequate passage. Dentures use is a common predisposing factor as dentures decrease sensation on the palate leading to misjudging of the size of the bolus. Impaction usually occurs at areas of pathologic narrowing. In management of foreign bodies, airway protection is critical and careful endoscopy should be performed at the time of removal. Barium esophagrams should be performed 24 hours after a removal to check for fistulization.