Intermediate
Technical
IVT
dysphagia
Pronunciation: dis-FAY-jee-ah
Difficulty or discomfort in swallowing, a common complication of head and neck cancer treatment.
Full Definition
Dysphagia represents impaired swallowing function affecting the oral, pharyngeal, or esophageal phases of deglutition. In head and neck oncology, it commonly results from tumor involvement, surgical resection, or radiation-induced fibrosis. The condition significantly impacts quality of life and nutritional status, requiring multidisciplinary management including speech-language pathology evaluation. Documentation must distinguish between mechanical and neurogenic causes.
Usage
Usage note: Often confused with dysphonia; dysphagia relates to swallowing, not voice.
In Context
- "Post-radiation dysphagia required placement of a percutaneous gastrostomy tube." — clinical progress note
- "The speech-language pathologist evaluated the patient's dysphagia using videofluoroscopy." — multidisciplinary team note
Also known as
swallowing dysfunction
deglutition disorder
Contrasted with
normal swallowing
euphagia
Don't confuse with
dysphonia
dysarthria