Evaluation of the Impact on Swallowing of Non Invasive Ventilation

Neuromuscular disorders can be associated with swallowing dysfunction secondary to a dysfunction of airway muscles involved in swallowing. We have shown that respiratory failure may also contribute to swallowing dysfunction and that, although tracheostomy has been reported as impairing swallowing, when a tracheostomy was performed in neuromuscular patients, swallowing was improved because it allowed the patient to feed while ventilated.

We now want to evaluate whether non invasive ventilation may have a beneficial impact on swallowing considering some adjustments to ensure a good synchronisation between ventilation and swallowing. This could allow avoiding the necessity of a tracheostomy or a gastrostomy due to swallowing dysfunction and/or malnutrition. Improving swallowing under mechanical ventilation depends on improving the synchronisation between the patient and the ventilator during swallowing. For that purpose, we developed a prototype ventilator able to temporarily suspend pressurisation under the patient's control so that when the patient needs to swallow under mechanical ventilation he may do so with an inadequate insufflation of the ventilator.

Our objective is to to demonstrate that swallowing is more adapted and easier under nasal noninvasive ventilation than during spontaneous breathing in neuromuscular patients requiring prolonged noninvasive ventilation.

In an open monocentric pilot study, we will study 10 neuromuscular patients usually noninvasively ventilated. The patients will be their own control and their swallow will be studied during spontaneous breathing and under ventilation with the adapted ventilator while swallowing boluses of different volumes. Swallowing will be evaluated by measuring swallowing duration, numbers of swallows required for a bolus, number of respiratory cycles required for the swallow of a bolus. Order ventilation mode and bolus volume will be randomized

Inclusion criteria

• Neurologic or Neuromuscular restrictive respiratory failure, excluding bulbar involvement
• Hospitalization in the home ventilation unit of the Raymond Poincaré Hospital
• day and night non invasive ventilation during >14hours/day
• respiratory autonomy of at least one hour of during the day
• Ventilation with an assisted and controled mode
• Adults ≥18 years
• Stable patient upon inclusion
• prior Medical examination
• Signed consent form

Exclusion criteria

• Unstable hemodynamics
• Respiratory decompensation
• Unable to cooperate
• Person under guardianship or trusteeship
• Pregnant women
• Refusal of study participation
• Non covered by the social security system