Abstract：Objective To investigate the efficiency and mechanism of VitalStim dysphagia therapy apparatus in true and pseudobulbar bulbar palsy.Methods Seventy-five stroke patients with dysphagia who stayed in departments of neurology and rehabilitation of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University between January 2008 and December 2010(30 cases of true palsy and 45cases of pseudobulbar palsy)were treated with VitalStim dysphagia therapy apparatus.Swallowing function was assessed by Standardized Swallowing Assessment(SSA)and reduction in arterial oxygen saturation(SaO2)values before and after treatment.The statistical differences were determined by variance analysis and t-test using SPSS18.0software.Results Before treatment,there were no significant differences in SSA scores and decrease in SaO2 after drinking water between the two groups(P>0.05).After treatment,SSA scores and reduction in SaO2 after drinking water obviously decreased in both groups(P<0.05).Furthermore,the decrease in patients with pseudobulbar palsy was more obvious than that in patients with true palsy(P<0.05).Conclusion The efficacy of VitalStim dysphagia physiotherapy apparatus in pseudobulbar bulbar palsy patients appears to be superior to that in true bulbar palsy patients. 更多
2012, Vol. 52 
