Multi-disciplinary service for patients with Oculo-Pharyngeal Muscular Dystrophy (OPMD)
Doctor in charge: Dr. Amir Dori
Case Managers: Prof. Alex Zvulunov
Speech and language therapists, swallowing and speech rehabilitation: Alina Bichovsky, Gonny Broyd, Toni Brodsky
Nutrition: Dana Weiner, Elinor Siance
Physiotherapy: Dr. Orna Gra, Dr. Tali Amichai
Mental health: Dr. Lilia Manzer, Dr. Adam Noy
Contact:
Arrival at the clinic can be arranged in advance. Please send full name and phone number to email:
Clinic Team
Background
Oculo-pharyngeal Muscular Dystrophy (OPMD) is a progressive deteriorating muscle disease that is mainly manifested by swallowing problems, frequent cough due to food aspirations while eating and drinking, drooping eyelids and weakness of the skeletal muscles. The disease manifestations begin in the 4-5 decade of life with a gradual worsening of symptoms, life-threatening aspirations of food and significant impairment of quality of life.
OPMD is an autosomal dominant hereditary disease with a prevalence in the general population is about 1: 100,000 and disproportionally common among Bukharian Jews.
Unmet needs
Diagnosis and especially treatment of OPMD patients requires multi-disciplinary medical services. Our OPMD clinic is the first in Israel multidisciplinary service for clinical evaluation and multi-systemic treatment that has not existed until recently. This service is the basis for promoting clinical research in primary, secondary and tertiary prevention of the disease and the development of a cure for those suffering from the disease.
Clinical examinations in the multi-disciplinary clinic
Diagnostic tests and clinical evaluations are supported by the Non-profit organization for promotion of health and cure of OPMD. Every patient undergoes examination by ENT specialists and speech therapists specializing in swallowing disorders, ophthalmologists specializing in the treatment of drooping eyelids, oral health physicians specializing in dysfunction of salivary glands, nutritionist, rehabilitative psychologist and psychiatrist, physiotherapists.
After the diagnosis and evaluation of the severity of the disease, patients will receive instructions for treatment and rehabilitation in each aspect of the disease and will be invited for further follow-up and treatment as needed.
