Browsing by Author "Vasquez Maldonado, Omar Adrian"

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    Prevalencia de trastornos deglutorios en usuarios con cáncer de cabeza y cuello en el consultorio fonoaudiológico del centro de especialidades Plaza Médica, Cuenca, 2023–2025
    (Universidad de Cuenca. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, 2026-02-19) Vasquez Maldonado, Omar Adrian; Nieto Polo, Marco Elias; Argudo Guallpa, Juan Diego
    Swallowing disorders, also known as dysphagia, are one of the most prevalent clinical complications In patients with head and neck cancer, especially in those undergoing aggressive cancer treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy. These Interventions can alter structures involved in the oral and/or pharyngeal phases, leading to complications such as malnutrition, dehydration, aspiration pneumonia, and a reduced quality of life. Objective: To determine the prevalence of swallowing disorders in patients with head and neck cancer treated at the speech therapy clinic at the "Plaza Medica" specialty center m Cuenca, 2023—2025. Methodology: Retrospective, quantitative, observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study. The database of patients treated at the speech therapy clinic at "Plaza Medica" was reviewed, and clinical records were analyzed using SPSS version 26 software. Results: The prevalence of swallowing disorders was 55.4%. Males predominated (67.7%), as did the 55-74 age group (69.2%). Regarding severity, 21.5% of the sample presented moderate impairment, 20.0% mild Impairment, and 13.8% severe impairment. Conclusion: A high prevalence of swallowmg disorders was observed in the evaluated population. It was also concluded that there is significant functional impairment, given that more than one-third of patients reported moderate to severe dysphagia, underscoring the need for a specialized speechlanguage pathology approach.