Evaluating Method for Swallowing Function-Influence of Posture for Swallowing

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Objectives:The purpose of this study was to develop an objective evaluation method for swallowingMethods:Ten healthy, fully dentate males (average age: 29.5 ± 3.6 years old) were selected as subjects. To observe tongue movements in swallowing the test food, general-purpose ultra-sound diagnostic equipment was used with a 5 MHz electronic convex sector scanning probe. To record swallowing sounds, a heart sound microphone was connected to the ultra-sound diagnostic equipment through a physiologic signal unit. The tongue movements and swallowing sounds were simultaneously recorded on recording paper and analyzed by plotting five inflection points (T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5) of the movement curve and two beginning points of swallowing sounds (S1 and S2) using a digitizer. Subjects were directed to swallow the test food (a starch compound mixed with water) with 3 bodily positions; sitting in upright position in the dental chair, reclining at a 300 angle in the dental chair, a complete reclining … More position in the dental chair. Also, X-ray images by a videofluorography were recorded simultaneously with echo images and swallowing sounds in five healthy, fully dentate males in upright position.Results:It was confirmed that all the data of 10 subjects had repeatability. There was statistically significant correlation between T4 and Si, T4 and S2 (p<0.001), respectively. Si were always ahead of T4. From the VF-image, Si coincided with the point of time that the epiglottis was just going to shut, and T4 coincided with the point of time that the tail of test food has just got to the esophagus.In the complete reclining position, time from the starting point of swallowing to T_3, T_4, S_1 and S_2 were significantly extended (p<0.05), and time from T_3 to T_4 was also significantly extended (p<0.05). There was a significantly correlation between T_4 and S_1, statistically (p<0.05).Conclusion:From this investigation, it is suggested that our evaluation method could be useful for the diagnosis of swallowing. Less