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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Suggest Treatment For Tightening Of Neck After Epiglottis Removal

My dad had his epiglottis removed due to cancer. He was on a feeding tube for 3 months and since the feeding tube was removed in May, he has lost nearly 50 pounds because he claims when he eats anything with any "fat" at all in it, it causes his neck to "close up" and/or tighten....he says this is painful. I am scared to death about my dad's health. He is 5'10" and weighs only 124 pounds. I am begging him to get back on a feeding tube but he is refusing. I've tried getting him to drink boost/ensure but he won't do that because he is conviced that anything with "fat" in it is causing this reaction. Do you have any suggestions and have you heard of this happening before?
Fri, 12 Sep 2014
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ENT Specialist,  's  Response
The epiglottis helps to direct food down the correct pathway and prevent it from entering the windpipe, so people who have had their epiglottis removed feel choked when they try to swallow something.
At the same time, being fed through a tube is very demoralizing in itself so it is a good sign of his confidence that he wants to manage without a feeding tube.
Instead of fluids you could try to give him slightly thicker food like porridge and ask him to eat small portions at more frequent intervals, and also eat more slowly and consciously.
Try to consult a speech and swallowing specialist to increase his muscle tone in the food pipe.
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Suggest Treatment For Tightening Of Neck After Epiglottis Removal

The epiglottis helps to direct food down the correct pathway and prevent it from entering the windpipe, so people who have had their epiglottis removed feel choked when they try to swallow something. At the same time, being fed through a tube is very demoralizing in itself so it is a good sign of his confidence that he wants to manage without a feeding tube. Instead of fluids you could try to give him slightly thicker food like porridge and ask him to eat small portions at more frequent intervals, and also eat more slowly and consciously. Try to consult a speech and swallowing specialist to increase his muscle tone in the food pipe.