Botulinum Toxin A in the Treatment of Oropharyngeal or Esophageal Dysphagia

Caroline Beutner, Katharina Bartsch, Harald Schwörer, Rainer Laskawi, Saskia Rohrbach

Department of Audiology and Phoniatrics, Charité, Berlin, Germany.
Department of Gastroenterology and Endocrinology, Georg-August-University Hospital G?ttingen, G?ttingen, Germany.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Duesseldorf University Hospital, Duesseldorf, Germany.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Georg-August-University Hospital G?ttingen, G?ttingen, Germany.

DOI: 10.4236/ijohns.2013.26053                

Abstract

Objectives: In this retrospective analysis, we explored the effect of botulinum toxin A (BTA) injection to treat oropharyngeal dysphagia or esophageal dysfunction caused by diseases of the upper (UES) and lower (LES) esophageal sphincter. Methods: In total, 48 patients (17 patients with UES disorders, and 31 patients with LES dysfunction; mean age 64 years) were treated between 1996 and 2007 in our hospital. Comorbid diseases as well as maintenance medication were documented to evaluate the overall health status of our patients. The mean duration of symptoms, the number of pre-treatments and the specification of dysphagia were considered. Results: One month after injection, the response rates were 73.3% (UES group) and 76.6% (LES group). Most patients in the UES group received 30-40 units BTA (Botox^?) whereas most patients in the LES group were treated with 100 units BTA. In cases of re-injection, 50% of patients in the UES group experienced an escalation of dosage (up to 75 units), whereas the other 50% received the same dosage. The dosages in the LES group were mostly kept constant. Conclusion: Comparing the two groups with esophageal dysfunction of fundamentally different etiologies (UES/LES), a discrepancy in the level of symptom relief, onset and a longer cessation of clinical benefit were observed in the LES group. In this analysis, we were able to show that injection of BTA is an effective and safe treatment for disorders of the UES and LES.

Keywords

Botulinum Toxin; Dysphagia; Upper Esophageal Sphincter; Lower Esophageal Sphincter

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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