Author(s)

Manping Song^1*, Lanlan Liu¹, Bowen Feng¹, Jingjing Chen², Yang Yang³

¹Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Hainan General Hospital, Haikou, China.
²Department of Rehabilitation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.
³Department of Rehabilitation, Hainan Rehabilitation Hospital, Haikou, China.

Objective: Dysphagia is a frequent symptom caused by cerebral infarction. This study investigated the effect evaluation and safety of electroacupuncture combined with balloon dilatation on dysphagia after cerebral infarction. Methods: Totally 100 patients with dysphagia after cerebral infarction were enrolled as study subjects and assigned into the control group (treated with balloon dilatation) and the observation group (treated with electroacupuncture and balloon dilatation), with 50 cases in each group. The general data of participants were recorded. Before or after treatment, swallowing function was assessed by water swallow test, standardized swallowing function assessment (SSA), videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS), and functional oral intake scale (FOIS). The cerebral hemodynamics, serological indicators, neurological impairment, quality of life (QOL) score were analyzed. Additionally, the occurrence of complications and adverse reactions after treatment was assessed. Results: There was no significant difference in gender, age, BMI, course of disease, and grade of dysphagia between the two groups. Balloon dilatation alone and electroacupuncture combined with balloon dilatation decreased the water swallow test, SSA, and VFSS scores, increased FOIS score, and improved the swallowing function, cerebral hemodynamic parameters, serological indicators, neurological function and QOL, with the better efficacy in the combined therapy. Moreover, combined therapy had lower incidences of complications and adverse reactions than balloon dilatation therapy alone. Conclusion: Electroacupuncture intervention combined with balloon dilatation therapy ameliorates swallowing function, cerebral hemodynamics, serological indicators, neurological function and QOL, and reduces complications and adverse reactions in dysphagia after cerebral infarction.

Electroacupuncture, Balloon Dilation, Dysphagia, Cerebral Infarction, Neurological Function, Quality of Life, Complications, Adverse Reactions

Song, M. , Liu, L. , Feng, B. , Chen, J. and Yang, Y. (2022) A Preliminary Study on the Effect Evaluation of Electroacupuncture Combined with Balloon Dilation in the Treatment of Dysphagia after Cerebral Infarction. Journal of Behavioral and Brain Science, 12, 236-251. doi: 10.4236/jbbs.2022.125013.