Effects Of Catheter Balloon Dilatation Therapy On Patients With Dysphagia Caused By Cricopharyngeal Achalasia After Stroke

Objective:To investigate the effects of catheter balloon dilatation therapy on patientswith dysphagia caused by cricopharyngeal achalasia after stroke.Methods: After confirmed by videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS), thirty-twopatients of dysphagia caused by cricopharyngeal achalasia after stroke were dividedinto a treatment group (n=16) and a control group (n=16) randomly. Patients intreatment group were treated with routine dysphagia rehabilitation, electricalstimulation and catheter balloon dilatation therapy, while patients in control group weretreated with routine dysphagia rehabilitation training and electrical stimulation only.The treatment end point was either the patient resuming an oral diet or after a6-weektreatment.The number of oral diet patients, the scores of clinical swallowing functionand VFSS between the treatment and control group were evaluated before and aftertreatment.Results: After a6-week catheter balloon dilatation therapy,11of the16patients intreatment group regained the ability to take food orally, however, only4of the16patients regained that in control group. There was a significant difference between thetwo groups（P<0.05）. The scores of clinical swallowing function in the treatmentgroup were greatly better than those before treatment, while the control group had noimprovement（P>0.05）. There was a statistic significance between the two groups（P<0.05）. The scores of VFSS in the treatment group were increased in oral stage，pharyngeal stage, mis-swallowing and whole stage（P<0.05），while those in thecontrol group were increased only at oral and whole stage (p<0.05). Compared withthe control group, the scores of VFSS in the treatment group at pharyngeal stage,mis-swallowing and whole stage was significantly higher （P<0.01, p<0.05,p<0.05）,but there was not a significant difference between the two groups at oralstage（p>0.05）.Conclusion: Catheter balloon angioplasty is a simple, economical, safe and effective treatment for patients with dysphagia caused by cricopharyngeal muscle achalasiaafter stroke.