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    Interventional procedure overview of electrical stimulation of the pharynx for neurogenic dysphagia

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    Existing assessments of this procedure

    In 2021, the European Stroke Organisation and European Society for Swallowing Disorders published guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of post-stroke dysphagia (Dziewas, 2021a). The recommendations were informed by a literature review, meta-analysis, and expert consensus. The following recommendations were made:

    • Recommendation 20: In patients with post-stroke dysphagia, we suggest treatment with rTMS, TES, tDCS and PES as adjunct to conventional dysphagia treatments to improve swallowing function.

      • Quality of evidence: Moderate

      • Strength of recommendation: Weak for intervention

    • Recommendation 21: In tracheotomized stroke patients with severe dysphagia, we suggest treatment with pharyngeal electrical stimulation to accelerate decannulation.

      • Quality of evidence: High

      • Strength of recommendation: Weak for intervention

    In 2021, the German Society of Neurology published S1 guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of neurogenic dysphagia (Dziewas, 2021b). The recommendations were informed by a systematic literature review and expert consensus. The following recommendations were made:

    • Recommendation 46: Due to limited data, neurostimulation methods in principle should be used in clinical trials or registries.

    • Recommendation 47: Pharyngeal electrical stimulation should be used to treat dysphagia in tracheotomized stroke patients with supratentorial lesion. Participation in prospective clinical registries is recommended.