SWALLOWING DYSFUNCTION AFTER CARDIAC OPERATIONS - ASSOCIATED ADVERSE OUTCOMES AND RISK-FACTORS INCLUDING INTRAOPERATIVE TRANSESOPHAGEAL ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY

The frequency, importance to patient outcomes, and independent predict ors of postoperative swallowing dysfunction documented by barium ciner adiography were examined in 869 patients undergoing cardiac operations over a 12-month period, Swallowing dysfunction was diagnosed in 34 pa tients (4% incidence) and was associated with documented pulmonary asp iration in 90% of these patients, increased frequency of pneumonia (p < 0.0001), need for tracheostomy (p = 0.0002), length of stay in the i ntensive care unit (p = 0.0001), and duration of hospitalization after the operation (p = 0.0001), Independent predictors of postoperative s wallowing dysfunction determined by multivariate logistic regression i ncluded age (p < 0.001), length of tracheal intubation after the opera tion (p = 0.001), and intraoperative use of transesophageal echocardio graphy (p = 0.003), Dysfunctional swallowing after cardiac operations, a serious complication significantly related to postoperative respira tory morbidity and extended length of hospitalization, is more common in older patients, An association between intraoperative use of transe sophageal echocardiography and swallowing dysfunction was also observe d in our patients.