2013 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Objective assessment method of swallowing and cough reflex muscle activities in unrestrained and unconscious situation: its development and evaluation of usefulness

Research Project

Project/Area Number	24650318
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Research Field	Rehabilitation science/Welfare engineering
Research Institution	Kumamoto Health Science University (2013) Kochi University (2012)
Principal Investigator	IWAMURA Kenji 熊本保健科学大学, 保健科学部, 講師 (20626296)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	ISHIDA Kenji 高知大学, 医学部, 准教授 (10274367) HYOUDO Masamitsu 高知大学, 医学部, 教授 (00181123)
Project Period (FY)	2012-04-01 – 2014-03-31
Keywords	摂食嚥下障害 / 不顕性誤嚥
Research Abstract	Pneumonia due to a silent aspiration occurred very often in the elderly patients, and its prevention has become an urgent and challenging issue. We developed an objective and convenient measurement system to assess cough reflex, phlegm expulsion, and swallowing muscle activity, which functioned as defending mechanisms of silent aspiration. In addition, we examined our system in terms of its usefulness. The system constitutes 1) a real-time integrated EMG meter to record swallowing muscle activities, 2) an IC recorder with throat microphone to record choking and swallowing sounds and audio occurred in cough reflex, 3) an analysis software which enables to analyze long-time EMG and sound data. By establishing our assessment method, we are able to take measures against an aspiration pneumonia caused by silent aspiration.

(3 results)