Epiglottic dysfunction during deglutition in patients with dysphagia.

Among 250 patients with dysphagial complaints, 83 had dysfunction of the epiglottis as revealed by high-speed cineradiography. Nineteen patients had a totally immobile epiglottis and of these 11 had concomitant pharyngeal constrictor paresis. Sixteen of the patients with immobile epiglottis had misdirected swallowing. An absence of the second movement of the epiglottis during deglutition was registered in 53 patients. Thirteen of these had pharyngeal constrictor paresis and 45 had misdirected swallowing. In 11 patients the epiglottis attained an obliquity of 30 degrees to 90 degrees as seen in the anteroposterior projection during its second movement. One of these had a pharyngeal constrictor paresis, while four had misdirected swallowing. The results of this study indicate that epiglottic dysfunction is common among patients with dysphagia and is often accompanied by other functional abnormalities.