The difference between liquid and jelly in pharyngeal deglutition

A clinical study using LEDT

Abstract

Gelatinous meal is clinically available for patients with dysphagia so that it is easier to cough and exhaust it from the airway than liquid. It is supposed that the inflow of the jelly to the pharynx is slower than that of the liquid due to its physicality. However, there have not been any studies that have examined the differences between liquid and jelly in terms of deglutition. We sought to elucidate this difference by using two kinds of contrast media of known viscosity, and by using laryngeal elevation delay time (LEDT) as a parameter which has been useful for evaluating the pharyngeal stage. Our results indicate that LEDT can be successfully used to detect these differences, and there is a possibility that LEDT, which is measured by low viscosity contrast media, is an effective parameter for evaluating the delay of pharyngeal stage, and the LEDT can thus be used as a parameter to elucidate the properties of gelatinous meals available for patients with dysphagia.