This project proposes to compare the data generated from manofluorographic studies of oropharyngeal swallow with that collected with modified barium swallow (MBS) and biomechanical analysis. Currently, many patients receive videofluoroscopic examination of swallow (MBS) which provides information on the movement of food and the movement of structures. However, no pressure information is collected, and swallowing is a pressure phenomenon. Also, no measures of structural movement are made. We are hypothesizing that patients who have undergone particular types of head and neck cancer surgical procedures may be better evaluated with combined videofluoroscopy and manometry, or with biomechanical analysis than with modified barium swallow, since the more objective measures from biomechanical analysis and/or manofluorography (which also assesses pressure) may provide us with information which is more revealing regarding the nature of their altered swallow physiology and the effects of treatment strategies. The swallow physiology of 60 surgically treated head and neck cancer patients will be evaluated using simultaneous manometry and fluoroscopy (manofluorography). Data from the combined procedures will be analyzed with manofluorography while the video recording of fluoroscopy will be analyzed as a modified barium swallow and biomechanically. Results of each analysis will be compared to determine which technique provides most information regarding the swallowing ability of particular types of cancer patients, and to determine whether objective measures provide us with additional information over observations of swallow.
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