OBJETIVO: Os objetivos desse estudo foram: constituir um protocolo piloto de avaliação do risco para disfagia, visando auxiliar o fonoaudiólogo a identificar e interpretar as alterações na dinâmica da deglutição, caracterizar os sinais clínicos sugestivos de penetração laríngea ou aspiração laringo-traqueal, definir pontualmente a gravidade da disfagia e estabelecer condutas a partir dos resultados da avaliação. MÉTODOS: O Protocolo Fonoaudiológico de Avaliação do Risco para Disfagia foi elaborado com base na literatura, segundo a identificação dos pontos comuns a todos os protocolos de avaliação da deglutição. Os pontos não comuns foram excluídos e os itens julgados relevantes foram incluídos. RESULTADOS: O Protocolo Fonoaudiológico de Avaliação do Risco para Disfagia foi constituído por três partes: teste de deglutição da água, teste de deglutição de alimentos pastosos, classificação do grau de disfagia e condutas. CONCLUSÃO: O Protocolo Fonoaudiológico de Avaliação do Risco para Disfagia é baseado em uma proposição teórica e depende de sua aplicação populacional, em larga escala e por diferentes profissionais para que venha a se configurar como um teste validado em sua proposta. A contribuição aqui apresentada busca uma forma de contemplar, de maneira mais completa possível, a avaliação fonoaudiológica para o risco de disfagia em beira-de-leito, norteando a atuação fonoaudiológica e consolidando sua atuação baseada em evidências. A segunda fase desta pesquisa será experimental.

BackgroundEducational computer games are examples of computer-assisted learning objects, representing an educational strategy of growing interest. Given the changes in the digital world over the last decades, students of the current generation expect technology to be used in advancing their learning requiring a need to change traditional passive learning methodologies to an active multisensory experimental learning methodology. The objective of this study was to compare a computer game-based learning method with a traditional learning method, regarding learning gains and knowledge retention, as means of teaching head and neck Anatomy and Physiology to Speech-Language and Hearing pathology undergraduate students.MethodsStudents were randomized to participate to one of the learning methods and the data analyst was blinded to which method of learning the students had received. Students’ prior knowledge (i.e. before undergoing the learning method), short-term knowledge retention and long-term knowledge retention (i.e. six months after undergoing the learning method) were assessed with a multiple choice questionnaire. Students’ performance was compared considering the three moments of assessment for both for the mean total score and for separated mean scores for Anatomy questions and for Physiology questions.ResultsStudents that received the game-based method performed better in the pos-test assessment only when considering the Anatomy questions section. Students that received the traditional lecture performed better in both post-test and long-term post-test when considering the Anatomy and Physiology questions.ConclusionsThe game-based learning method is comparable to the traditional learning method in general and in short-term gains, while the traditional lecture still seems to be more effective to improve students’ short and long-term knowledge retention.

OBJECTIVES:To elucidate independent risk factors for dysphagia after prolonged orotracheal intubation.METHODS:The participants were 148 consecutive patients who underwent clinical bedside swallowing assessments from September 2009 to September 2011. All patients had received prolonged orotracheal intubations and were admitted to one of several intensive care units of a large Brazilian school hospital. The correlations between the conducted water swallow test results and dysphagia risk levels were analyzed for statistical significance.RESULTS:Of the 148 patients included in the study, 91 were male and 57 were female (mean age, 53.64 years). The univariate analysis results indicated that specific variables, including extraoral loss, multiple swallows, cervical auscultation, vocal quality, cough, choking, and other signs, were possible significant high-risk indicators of dysphagia onset. The multivariate analysis results indicated that cervical auscultation and coughing were independent predictive variables for high dysphagia risk.CONCLUSIONS:Patients displaying extraoral loss, multiple swallows, cervical auscultation, vocal quality, cough, choking and other signs should benefit from early swallowing evaluations. Additionally, early post-extubation dysfunction recognition is paramount in reducing the morbidity rate in this high-risk population.