Evaluating Dysphagia Duration and Severity After ACDF in Patients With Underlying Dysphagia - A Prospective, Multicenter Study.

Authors

• Aditya Mazmudar
• Taylor Paziuk
• Khoa S Tran
• Tyler Henry
• Samuel Oh
• Caroline Purtill
• Daniel Habbal
• Goutham Yalla
• Quinlin Harrill
• Brandon Sherrod
• Erica Bisson
• Darrel Brodke
• Christopher Kepler
• Gregory Schroeder
• Alexander Vaccaro
• Alan Hilibrand
• Jeffrey A Rihn

Publication/Presentation Date

3-1-2025

Abstract

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to prospectively evaluate the impact of preoperative dysphagia on the postoperative incidence and severity of dysphagia in patients undergoing ACDF at multiple institutions.

METHODS: After IRB approval, patients over 18 years of age who underwent an elective ACDF for degenerative conditions were prospectively enrolled at two academic centers from 2018 to 2021. Preoperative dysphagia was self-reported by patients through a pre-operative questionnaire on a binary basis. Patients completed dysphagia surveys (Bazaz, Dysphagia Short Questionnaire, 10-item Eating Assessment Tool) to assess dysphagia severity during their preoperative visit, and these dysphagia surveys were repeated immediately postoperatively, at two weeks and again at six, 12, and 24 weeks postoperatively. Patients were stratified into three subgroups based on dysphagia status preoperatively and immediately postoperatively and compared using ANOVA tests or Kruskal-Wallis tests for continuous variables and Pearson chi-square analysis or Fisher's Exact test for categorical variables.

RESULTS: A total of 168 patients (23 with preoperative dysphagia, 145 without preoperative dysphagia) met study criteria and were enrolled in the study. Patients with preoperative dysphagia had less frequent alcohol consumption (23.8% vs 53.7%,

CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing ACDF who had preoperative dysphagia have prolonged postoperative dysphagia and greater dysphagia severity. Surgeons should be aware of the risk of prolonged dysphagia severity that may persist past 24 weeks after surgery when discussing clinical decisions with patients.

Volume

15

Issue

2

First Page

571

Last Page

579

ISSN

2192-5682

Published In/Presented At

Mazmudar, A., Paziuk, T., Tran, K. S., Henry, T., Oh, S., Purtill, C., Habbal, D., Yalla, G., Harrill, Q., Sherrod, B., Bisson, E., Brodke, D., Kepler, C., Schroeder, G., Vaccaro, A., Hilibrand, A., & Rihn, J. A. (2025). Evaluating Dysphagia Duration and Severity After ACDF in Patients With Underlying Dysphagia - A Prospective, Multicenter Study. Global spine journal, 15(2), 571–579. https://doi.org/10.1177/21925682231201249

Disciplines

Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Health and Medical Administration | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods

PubMedID

37671756

Department(s)

Administration and Leadership

Document Type

Article