| Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of combined therapy of super lizer stellate ganglion block (SGB) and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in the treatment of dysphagia following stroke. Methods: One hundred patients with dysphagia following stroke were divided randomly into three groups: group A (33 cases) subjected to ice stimulation, group B (33 cases) to TENS and ice stimulation, and group C (34 cases) to super lizer SGB, TENS and ice stimulation. All the patients were assessed with Kubota drinking test before and 4 weeks after treatment. The gastric retention rate and the total effective rate were recorded and statistically analyzed. Results: The swallowing function of patients in three groups was improved after treatment (P<0.05), and the therapeutic effective rate in group C was higher than in groups B and A, and that in group B higher than in group A (P<0.05). The clinical effective rate in groups A, B and C was 36.36%, 72.73% and 94.12% respectively with the difference being statistically significant among three groups (P<0.05). The gastric retention rate in groups A, B and C was decreased significantly after treatment for 4 weeks as compared with that before treatment (30.30%, 27.27 % and 41.18% vs. 6.06%, 3.03% and 0, P<0.05), but there was no significant difference among the three groups. Conclusion: Combined therapy of super lizer SGB and TENS is effective to improve the swallowing function and reduce gastric retention rate of patients with dysphagia following stroke. |
