BACKGROUND: swallowing disorders and tetanus. PURPOSE: to review the pathophysiology of tetanus and how swallowing may be affected by this disease. CONCLUSION: despite the low availability of literature that relates tetanus to dysphagia, the search demonstrated data showing that swallowing may be affected at all stages including the esophagus, due to muscle contraction resulting from the action of the tetanospasmin neurotoxin.
Tetanus; Deglutition Disorders; Review