PhD project The purpose of the project is to map the prevalence of dysphagia after anterior cervical spine surgery, study the natural course of dysphagia 12 months after surgery, investigate the effect of anterior cervical spine surgery on nutrition and swallowing 12 months after surgery, evaluate the effect of oral screen training in individuals with persistent dysphagia after surgery, and validate an international swallowing test to identify dysphagia for use in a Swedish healthcare context.
Dysphagia – swallowing difficulties – is a condition that can lead to malnutrition, pneumonia, and in the worst case, death. There is a lack of knowledge about the prevalence of dysphagia after anterior cervical spine surgery, and there are no evidence-based, randomized studies on interventions to improve swallowing function in dysphagia. There are also no validated swallowing screening tests. This project aims to improve the care for swallowing difficulties after anterior cervical spine surgery and thereby enhance the individual’s quality of life.
