Nonsurgical treatment of drooling in a patient with closed head injury and severe dysarthria

The purpose of this investigation was to measure the effectiveness of the antimuscarinic drug atropine sulfate in the treatment of chronic drooling in a patient with a history of severe closed head injury and resultant widespread oral neuromuscular and higher cortical disturbances. Results of the A-...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Dysphagia 1991, Vol.6 (1), p.40-49
Main Authors: Dworkin, J P, Nadal, J C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Atropine - pharmacology
Atropine - therapeutic use
Chronic Disease
Craniocerebral Trauma - complications
Dentistry
Dysarthria - complications
Female
Heart Rate - drug effects
Humans
Saliva - secretion
Sialorrhea - drug therapy
Sialorrhea - etiology
Wounds, Nonpenetrating - complications
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Summary:The purpose of this investigation was to measure the effectiveness of the antimuscarinic drug atropine sulfate in the treatment of chronic drooling in a patient with a history of severe closed head injury and resultant widespread oral neuromuscular and higher cortical disturbances. Results of the A-B-A-B-A-B withdrawal paradigm, chosen to demonstrate the functional relationship between drug therapy and the degree of drooling, revealed that administration of atropine sulfate reduced by more than 50% of baseline levels the amount of resting secretion, intraoral accumulation, and pharyngeal-laryngeal pooling of saliva, with negligible side effects. These results are discussed and compared to the alternative drug and surgical approaches to treatment that have been the primary focus of recent research on drooling.
ISSN:0179-051X
1432-0460
DOI:10.1007/bf02503462