Fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) is a high quality, comprehensive instrumental dysphagia assessment. North Dakota Speech and Swallowing Specialists uses portable technology that allows assessments to be conducted at the patient's bedside, in long-term care facilities, in hospitals, or in an otolaryngologist's office. The bottom line, we provide your patient with an evidence-based, cost effective, live video, that is a GOLD STANDARD in swallowing diagnostics.

Contact us to receive a copy of our resource guide detailing how we can help you decrease the amount of re-hospitalizations, feeding tubes, and thickened liquids, while improving the standard of care in your facility. Ask us HOW we can help your facility decrease the risk of an audit and remain in compliance with PDPM.

Providing Swallowing Diagnostics in North Dakota

If you have dysphagia or other types of swallowing or speech problems, you may benefit from comprehensive swallow diagnostics in North Dakota. When it comes to studying swallowing disorders, we use specialized equipment to get an up-close look at what exactly happens when you eat, drink, breathe, and speak. While these processes are relatively simple for many people, for those with dysphagia it can be an uncomfortable, embarrassing, or even dangerous process. 

At North Dakota Speech and Swallowing Specialists, we provide reliable swallow studies for patients in many different locations. FEES (fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing) is now the first-choice method for studying swallowing disorders in adults because it is cost-effective, timely, and less invasive. We use sensitive, accurate, portable, and safe instrumentation that provides anatomical and physiological information. These results inform the development of individual treatment and compensatory strategies for dysphagia. Additionally, FEES eliminates the need for radiation exposure and provides a digital recording of the procedure.

Types of swallowing disorders

Dysphagia is a condition in children and adults that can make it difficult to eat, drink, speak, and breathe. Although chewing and swallowing may seem like a relatively simple process, there are three main phases during which patients may experience difficulty:

• Oral Phase – Sucking, chewing, and moving food and liquid into the throat

• Pharyngeal Phase – Beginning to swallow and move food down the throat, closing the airway to prevent food and liquid from entering the lungs

• Esophageal Phase – Opening and closing the esophagus to squeeze food down to the stomach 

When it comes to studying swallowing disorders, we use specialized equipment to examine each phase of the swallowing process. There are many potential causes of dysphagia including stroke, brain or spinal cord injury, chronic conditions, neck injuries, and mouth or neck surgery. With swallow diagnostics, your medical team can help determine the cause of your difficulties and possible solutions to make your life easier.

WHY CHOOSE FEES?

Examining the throat and a patient’s ability to swallow can be done by two methods: FEES and MBSS. Modified barium swallow studies, or MBSS, uses radioactive barium-coated food to track movement through the mouth, throat, and into the stomach. It must be conducted on an upright patient in a special location with multiple medical specialists. It can be an incredibly stressful and taxing event, especially for patients who are already ill or dealing with injuries or recent surgeries. When it comes to FEEs vs. MBSS, most patients prefer our method because it can be done at their bedside or any other location as the equipment is mobile, doesn’t require exposure to radiation, and is as accurate or more accurate than MBSS.

Contact

☎ CONTACT

chelsey@ndspeechandswallowing.com
(701) 228-6050