Peter Belafsky, MD, PhD
Director of Scripps Center for Voice & Swallowing
Some of the benefits over traditional therapy have been astonishing
Electrical stimulation is currently being used by numerous disciplines to control pain, to enhance muscle performance, to stimulate wound healing, and to enhance sensorimotor recovery after stroke.
The use of transcutaneous electrical stimulation for the treatment of dysphagia is relatively new.
We have employed VitalStim Therapy at Scripps as an adjunct to swallowing therapy for more than a year.
Some of the benefits over traditional therapy have been astonishing. Although the treatment has not helped everyone, we have reported that VitalStim Therapy, in combination with minimally invasive surgery, has improved over 75% of the patients that we have treated.
Most importantly, there have been no complications attributed to the treatment.
Seventy-three percent of the patients we have treated have had no diet limitations at the end of treatment.