Pathophysiology of swallowing following oropharyngeal surgery for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.
M ScharC WoodsE H OoiT AthanasiadisL FerrisM M SzczesniakC CockTaher I OmariPublished in: Neurogastroenterology and motility : the official journal of the European Gastrointestinal Motility Society (2017)
Patients who have undergone UPPP and/or CCT surgery appear to have a deficiency in normal modulation of the swallowing mechanism and a reduced swallowing functional reserve. We speculate that these changes may become relevant in later life with the onset of age-related stressors to the swallowing mechanism. This case series strikes a note of caution that further studies are needed to determine the role of preoperative swallow assessment in patients undergoing UPPP and/or CCT surgery.