5.2 Pathophysiology of Dysphagia

Dysphagia post-ABI has been attributed to pharyngeal muscular dysfunction and lack of coordination secondary to central nervous system loss of control. The most common swallowing problems among patients with ABI included, prolonged oral transit (87.5%), delayed swallow reflex (87.5%), valleculae pooling (62.5%),  and pyriform sinus pooling (62.5%).  Aspiration reportedly occurred in 37.5% of patients with dysphagia (Field & Weiss, 1989).