The therapeutic efficacy of combining acupuncture with ice-water balloon dilatation in the treatment of cricopharyngeal dystonia
10.3760/cma.j.issn.0254-1424.2024.09.003
- VernacularTitle:透刺吞咽针法联合冰水球囊扩张术治疗环咽肌失弛缓症的疗效观察
- Author:
Huiling WANG
1
;
Jing GAO
;
Xin SHEN
;
Xiaoyan LAN
;
Xiaodong FENG
Author Information
1. 河南中医药大学第一附属医院康复科，郑州 450000
- Keywords:
Swallowing acupuncture;
Balloon dilatation;
Ice water;
Brainstem stroke;
Cricopharyngeal achalasia;
Achalasia
- From:
Chinese Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
2024;46(9):781-785
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of supplementing penetrating acupuncture for swallowing with ice-water balloon dilatation in the treatment of dysphagic patients with cricopharyngeal achalasia after a brainstem stroke.Methods:Forty-five patients with cricopharyngeal achalasia after a brainstem stroke were randomly assigned to a penetrating acupuncture (PA) group, a balloon dilatation (BD) group or a combination group, each of 15. In addition to routine swallowing training, those in the PA and BD groups received penetrating swallowing acupuncture or iced-water balloon dilatation, while the combination group received penetrating swallowing acupuncture 30 minutes after iced-water balloon dilatation. The treatments lasted three weeks beginning right after the recovery of autonomous oral feeding. Before and after the treatment, all of the subjects′ swallowing function was evaluated using video fluoroscopy (VFSS), a functional oral intake scale (FOIS) and a penetration aspiration scale (PAS). Successful removal of the gastric tube, gastric tube retention time and normal opening rate of the cricopharyngeal muscle were also recorded.Results:Significant improvement was observed in the average VFSS, FOIS and PAS results of all three groups after the treatments. The combination group′s average VFSS, FOIS and PAS scores were, however, significantly superior to those of the other two groups, as were successful removal of the gastric tube, gastric tube retention time and the normal opening rate of the cricopharyngeal muscle.Conclusion:Combining penetrating swallowing acupuncture with ice-water balloon dilation can better improve the swallowing function of brainstem stroke survivors with cricopharyngeal achalasia. It improves the cricopharyngeal opening rate and shortens gastric tube indwelling time. This combination of traditional Chinese and Western medicine is therefore worthy of clinical promotion and application.
