[Dysphagia] Re: Enteral feeding and PSP

[eripley at yahoo.com (Irene Campbell-Taylor)]

 Some considerations include: 1. 
we can continue to feed her despite her struggle with oral feeding 
(difficult for everyone involved and will likely result in infection ... and 
should we have a nurse standing by ready to suction?) 2. We limit the 
amount of time given to feeding (one hour/3x/day) despite the limited amount 
she will be able to take in (or do we ask a CNA to continually feed her?) 3. 
We stop oral feeding and provide medication for comfort (when?). Any 
guidance on this is appreciated. THank you! lindav

 

*** It sounds as though this patient is approaching end stage and the consensus of opinion is that enteral feeding is contraindicated as being of no particular benefit and of significant risk of damage e.g. aspiration pneumonitis, in particular in a disease such as PSP in which gastroesophageal motility is a prominent feature. Palliative care demands maximum comfort that is not the case with enteral feeding. Such patients are offerred preferred foods as desired and may require hypodermoclysis for hydration of deemed appropriate for comfort and/or the administartion of medications when necessary, mainly analgesics.








Dr I Campbell-Taylor
Clinical Neuroscientist
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