Scintigraphic assessment of aspiration in head and neck cancer patients with tracheostomy.

Tracheopulmonary aspiration commonly occurs in patients with dysphagia related to head and neck cancer. Scintigraphic studies were performed in 280 patients with head and neck cancer; 33% of these patients had tracheopulmonary aspiration. A subgroup of 18 tracheostomized patients had a tracheostomy tube with a removable obturator, so they could be studied with the tracheostomy open or occluded. When the tracheostomy was occluded the patients aspirated less frequently, and in significantly smaller quantities, than when it was open. When feasible, occluding the tracheostomy tube or permanent surgical closure may reduce or eliminate tracheopulmonary aspiration in these patients.