Question

why is aspiration a concern with patients with anoxic brain injury?

Answer 1

Anoxic brain injury occurred when the brain is deprived of oxygen. This will affect the bolus control and linguistic movement. The process of chewing of the bolus is voluntary control which is affected by the limited motion of the jaw and poor secretion by salivary glands. Then the reduced tongue movement triggers the swallowing reflex. Due to this failure of swallowing reflex, the nasal cavity is not closed properly results in aspiration. Sometimes the food entered into the esophagus will not move towards the stomach due to lack of peristaltic movement and the back-up of food content results in aspiration. So aspiration is concerned as important things to avoid major complications.