Perioperative instrumental swallowing evaluation in adult airway reconstruction: A retrospective observational cohort study

Dysphagia is a well recognised sequela of LTS and airway surgery, however studies have employed mostly non validated assessments post operatively in small, heterogenous samples, perpetuating uncertainty around the contributions of LTS and its management to impaired deglutition. Our objective was to characterise baseline and post operative dysphagia with instrumental assessment in an LTS cohort undergoing airway reconstruction and provide a gold standard management framework for its management. Baseline incidence of penetration aspiration was considerably higher than the general population and worsened in the immediate post operative period, however FOIS and PAS scores generally returned to baseline by discharge.