University Times

More than 15 million Americans suffer from a swallowing disorder.

The Swallowing Disorders Center at UPMC Eye and Ear Institute is the only center in western Pennsylvania to offer cutting-edge diagnostic and treatment methodologies to help patients with a swallowing disorder.

"Swallowing is something that most people take for granted," said Thomas Murry, professor of otolaryngology and director of the center. "When something disrupts the swallowing process, it can affect a person's ability to chew, swallow and digest. By using state-of-the-art technology, such as highly sensitive cameras and endoscopes, and bio-feedback devices, we can help patients to restore their swallowing ability and improve their quality of life."

One of the new diagnostic tools being utilized at the Swallowing Disorders Center is a sensory testing system, Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing with Sensory Testing (FEESST), which allows physicians to evaluate the patient's ability to feel what they swallow by testing for sensation along the upper airway.

The system uses an endoscope to direct puffs of air to different areas of the airway, triggering a response. From this doctors can see how diminished the patient's responses may be, as well as detect hyper-sensitivity to foods and diagnose the causes of shortness of breath and undefined spasms of the upper airway.

According to Murry, this new method of sensory testing identifies a condition that has been commonly overlooked in the past and can be helpful in diagnosing swallowing disorders in patients with nerve damage.

Swallowing difficulties also may occur suddenly or gradually following a head injury, head or facial trauma, stroke, surgery or change in certain medications; in conjunction with diseases such as cancer, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's, gastroesophageal reflux, paralysis of vocal cords or, in some cases, for unknown reasons.

The UPMC Swallowing Disorders Center is located within the Department of Otolaryngology at UPMC Eye & Ear. For more information, call 412/647-6438.