Tests & scales

FEES (Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing)

Also written as FEES, flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing, fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing, endoscopic swallow study.

A swallow test that uses a thin, flexible camera passed through the nose to look directly at your throat while you eat and drink.

FEES stands for fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing. It is also called flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing. A clinician passes a thin, flexible scope with a light and a small camera on the end through one nostril and down to the back of the throat. The scope sends a direct view of the throat and voice box to a screen.

You are then given small amounts of food and drink, often colored with dye so they are easy to see. The clinician watches what happens right before and right after the swallow, such as whether anything stays behind in the throat or moves toward the airway.

FEES uses no X-rays, and the equipment is portable, so it can be done in a clinic room or at the bedside rather than only in a radiology suite. It may be performed by a speech-language pathologist, a physician, or both working together. If you are nervous about the scope, it is reasonable to ask your team ahead of time what to expect.

FEES gives the team a direct look at the throat and voice box, including what is left behind after a swallow. Because there is no radiation involved and the equipment travels, it can be used in settings where an X-ray room is not available. It is one of two common instrumental swallow tests; which one is chosen depends on what the team needs to see.