PHAGENYX®
Phagenyx is changing the landscape of dysphagia practice with its innovative, simple to use and highly effective neurogenic dysphagia rehabilitation programme.
Electrical Stimulation is provided to the pharynx for up to 6 days to restore swallow control in patients with neurogenic dysphagia
Targeting neurogenic dysphagia, the treatment stimulates the sensory afferent fibres to promote restoration of swallowing function
Details
Phagenyx® is a new, innovative pharyngeal electrical stimulation (PES) treatment using an intra-luminal naso-gastric catheter device.
The catheter contains bipolar ring electrodes which, during treatment, stimulate the pharyngeal mucosa to restore afferent sensory feedback, which is crucial for safe motor execution of swallowing (Muhle et al., 2018).
In plain English, Phagenyx® provides an innovative solution to treat severe swallowing difficulties in neurologically-impaired patients, by providing electrical stimulation to the inside of the throat. This promotes neuroplasticity to rewire, and fix, swallowing function in patients with neurogenic dysphagia. Treatment is currently recommended for 10 minutes a day, for up to 6 days (2 cycles of 3 x 10 minutes).
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Neurogenic dysphagia is life-limiting.
Dysphagia is linked to: malnutrition (Whitehead and Balbergen, 2019); dehydration (Cichero, 2013); increased length of stay (Butt and Lam, 2005); higher mortality rates (SIGN, 2010); aspiration pneumonia (Feng et al., 2019) and reduced quality of life (Bushuven et al., 2021).
Alongside the physical impact of dysphagia, there are inevitable psycho-social consequences. Patients report: embarrassment (Helldén, Bergström, and Karlsson, 2018), low mood (Bushuven et al., 2021), social withdrawal and avoidance (IWPS, 2016), fear and mealtime anxiety (Helldén, Bergström, and Karlsson, 2018). Despite NICE guidelines recommending dysphagia therapy (NICE, 2013); there is limited evidence supporting its effectiveness post-stroke (Geeganage et al., 2012; Bath, Lee and Everton, 2018).
Phagenyx provides an evidence-based treatment, which requires little involvement from the patient, and can restore swallow function in as little as three days.
Evidence
Phagenyx® is CE/CA marked, is based on extensive, high-quality research, and is proven to be safe and effective in improving; swallow safety, promoting readiness for decannulation, and reducing length of stay.
In over 3000 commercial treatments, and 800 patients treated in clinical trials, there has never been a serious adverse event related to the stimulation.
The treatment is recommended by the European Stroke Organization (ESO) and the European Society for Swallowing Disorders (ESSD) for use with stroke patients.
Supporting documents
Please note, all product information and product resources have been provided directly by the innovator. Whilst South West AHSN attempts to validate the content, we cannot be held responsible for inaccuracies
