2002 Volume 6 Issue 2 Pages 187-195
In order to establish a non-invasive method for the bedside evaluation of swallowing function of patients with dysphagia，the authors developed a computerized system capable of simultaneously recording and analyzing larynx movement，electromyograms of suprahyoid musculature，and swallowing sound．The system was applied to a quantitative analysis of rice-gruel swallowing，a typical food for patients with dysphagia．
Clinics dealing with dysphagia require methods for assessing how easily patients can swallow rice gruel．Conventional methods for such assessment are as follows：(1) food-texture measurement；(2) sensory testing； and (3) measurement of physiological data． The authors have already employed methods (1) and (2) for evaluating two different types of rice gruel，an ordinary “Zengayu” and less adhesive “FukkuraokayuR” (Kameda Seika Co.) developed for patients with dysphagia．In this study，method (3) was used to perform a physiological evaluation of swallowing these types of rice gruel．Seven male subjects without symptoms of dysphagia were used for the experiment．The amount and temperature of rice gruel were standardized into 5 [g] and 60 [deg]，respectively．The results were as follows： when swallowing FukkuraokayuR，(A) the larynx motion was faster particularly in the early phase； and (B) the suprahyoid musculature was less active compared to when swallowing Zengayu．Results (A) and (B) were both statistically significant at the 5％ and 1％ levels，respectively．These results demonstrated that FukkuraokayuR can be swallowed more easily and effectively than ordinary Zengayu．Our measurement system was verified to be effective for the non-invasive，quantitative assessment of swallowing motion．
