Dysphagia Management in Head and Neck Cancers

Krishnakumar Thankappan is a professor at the Department of Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi, India. He completed his basic training in Otolaryngology at BJ Medical College, Pune, his MCh in Head and Neck Surgical Oncology at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi and his advanced fellowship in Head and Neck Oncology at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, USA. He is the recipient of the Young Investigator Award, from the Indian Co-operative Oncology network, and has published numerous papers in international journals. He serves as a reviewer for several international journals and is the Regional Editor Asia Pacific for the Journal of Cranio-Maxillary Trauma and Reconstruction. Has written a book titled Basic Concepts in Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology. Jayakumar R Menon is a consultant laryngologist at Kerala Institute of Medical Sciences, and Thiruvananthapuram Dysphagia Clinic, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi. He trained in laryngology under John D Russell in Dublin, Ireland. He is the founder Vice President & Past President of the Association of Phonosurgeons of India. He has given lectures, orations & keynote addresses in laryngology at numerous state, national & international conferences. He has been an invited speaker at numerous international conferences including the last two World Voice Congresses and the World ENT Congress 2013 & 2017. He has contributed chapters in four international textbooks and published several papers in national & international journals. He has also described a clinical sign to diagnose abductor spasmodic dysphonia. Subramania Iyer, graduated from the Medical College Kottayam in 1979, before completing his higher surgical training in Head and Neck Surgery and Plastic surgery from AIIMS New Delhi, Medical college Calicut and various centers in the United Kingdom. He did a fellowship in Craniofacial Surgery at Mexico City, UICC in Laryngeal Cancer Surgery at Center Oscar Lambrette, Lille and in Tissue Engineering at Rice University, Houston. Currently, he is a professor and head of the Division of Reconstructive surgery and Head and Neck Surgery /Oncology at the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences Kochi. Dr. Iyer is the past president of the Foundation for Head and Neck Oncology of India, secretary of the Indian society of Microsurgery, president of the Head and Neck Co-Operative research group, member of the executive council of the Association of Plastic surgeons of India and president of the Eurasian Association of Head and Neck Oncology. He has written several international publications and serves as a reviewer for many respected journals in the field of otolaryngology and plastic surgery.

Anatomy of swallowing.- Physiology of swallowing.- Pretreatment counseling, education and training.- Bedside evaluation of swallowing .- Videofluoroscopy: Technique and interpretation.- FEES: Technique and interpretation.- Transnasal esophagoscopy and Esophageal manometry.- Scintigraphic evaluation of swallowing.- Principles in the management of Head and Neck Cancer.- General Principles in the management of Dysphagia.- Rehabilitative therapy.- Compensatory therapy.- Neuromuscular stimulation in dysphagia.- Surgical management of dysphagia.- Trismus: causes and management.- Diet and nutritional considerations in dysphagia.- Tube Feeding.- Pscychosocial and Quality of life issues in dysphagia.- Aspiration and related complications.- Lip and oral cavity surgery.- Oropharyngeal surgery.- Laryngeal surgery.- Hypopharynx surgrey.- Nerve palsies following neck and skull base surgery.- Tracheostomy and Intubation related dysphagia.- Swallowing dysfunction after radiotherapy and chemotherapy.-Preventive strategies related to radiotherapy.- Management of radiation induced dysphagia.- Mucositis: Prevention and Management.- Pain management during radiotherapy.- Components of swallow.- Research in Dysphagia.- Organization of a swallowing clinic.