Our Services

FEES stands for Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing. During the exam, a flexible endoscope is passed through the nose to view swallowing structures while the patient eats and drinks.

The evaluation considers the full swallowing picture and provides direct information about swallow safety, airway protection, secretion management, residue, and response to foods, liquids, and swallowing strategies.

FEES may be appropriate for patients with suspected dysphagia, stroke, traumatic brain injury, neurodegenerative disease, head and neck cancer, tracheostomy, respiratory compromise, post extubation swallowing concerns, medical fragility, secretion management concerns, or difficulty participating in transport to outside testing.

The evaluation helps care teams make informed decisions about diet, liquids, swallowing strategies, discharge planning, and ongoing care needs.

FEES is used to evaluate and diagnose dysphagia, clarify swallowing function, support diet and liquid recommendations, and guide next steps in care.

FEES may be the first instrumental swallowing evaluation a patient receives, or it may be used as a repeat assessment when swallowing status changes, recommendations need to be reviewed, or the care team needs updated information for treatment, discharge, or ongoing care planning.

Each FEES evaluation includes food and liquid trials selected around the patient’s needs, referral question, and relevant consistencies. The exam helps assess swallow safety, airway protection, secretion management, residue, and response to foods, liquids, and swallowing strategies.

Each evaluation also includes a clear report with diagnosis, dysphagia findings, treatment recommendations, and diet recommendations. Reporting is designed to be practical, timely, and directly useful for patient care planning.

Bedside FEES can be especially useful for patients who are medically fragile, difficult to transport, difficult to position, in isolation, or connected to monitors, respiratory support, or other equipment that makes outside testing more challenging.

Because diet and liquid recommendations can affect hydration, nutrition, intake, safety, and quality of life, FEES helps care teams make recommendations based on the patient’s current swallowing function.

This may include determining whether restrictions are needed, whether existing restrictions remain appropriate, or whether a less restrictive diet may be appropriate based on current findings.

ESS provides bedside FEES for hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, and skilled nursing facilities, with a focus on inpatient and facility based care. Service is available throughout the OKC metro and surrounding areas, with scheduling flexibility depending on location and facility needs.

In skilled nursing and long term care settings, FEES can support initial instrumental swallowing evaluations as well as repeat assessments. Patients may be referred with no current diet restrictions, or they may already have modified diets, liquid restrictions, compensatory strategies, or alternative nutrition recommendations in place.

ESS schedules FEES evaluations seven days a week, with same day options available when scheduling permits.

Facilities may call, text, email, or use the website contact form to discuss patient needs, service area, timing, availability, and whether bedside FEES is appropriate for their care setting.