Evaluation of Swallow Function in Patients with Craniofacial Microsomia: A Retrospective Study.
Lara S van de Lande, Cornelia J J M Caron, Britt I Pluijmers and 5 others
PMID 29103155WHAT IT FOUND
In children with craniofacial microsomia, severe jaw underdevelopment was linked to poor bolus formation.
Aspiration occurred in 34.5% of those tested, rising to 62.5% in infants under six months. Thin liquids were the most common trigger.
Key findings
01Inappropriate bolus formation was significantly more common in patients with the most severe mandibular classification (Pruzansky-Kaban III) compared to less severe forms.
02Aspiration was diagnosed in 34.5% of patients overall, but the rate was significantly higher (62.5%) in those younger than six months compared to older patients (23.8%).
03Thin liquids were the consistency most frequently associated with aspiration, nasopharyngeal reflux, and laryngeal penetration.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study is retrospective, relying on existing clinical reports rather than standardized, prospective data collection. Only 42 patients underwent VFS, representing a subset of those with clinical swallowing concerns; this introduces selection bias regarding who was referred for imaging. There is no validated, criterion-referenced scale for interpreting VFS findings in this specific pediatric population, so results depend on individual radiologist expertise. Bolus volume was not recorded, which is a key factor in swallowing mechanics. The study did not assess the severity of the swallowing disorder or long-term outcomes, only the presence of impairment at the time of the VFS.
Declared interests
Funded by Fonds NutsOhRa. No other conflicts of interest are explicitly declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that all children with CFM have severe swallowing dysfunction. This study only looked at 42 children who were already referred for a swallow study due to clinical concerns; it does not report on the swallowing status of the wider CFM population who were not referred.