The adapting method of impedance pharyngography (IPG) to nodding swallowing

We have so far proposed the Impedance Pharyngography (IPG) method which uses neck electrical impedance as a swallow appraisal method. Generating of the IPG is dependent on activity of participation organ by swallowing reflection. However, in the latest research, it has turned out that impedance change by nod operation during swallowing is disturbing the impedance change by swallowing. Patients with dysphagia performs nodding swallowing in many cases because of the sense of discomfort at swallowing. Moreover, nod operation is recommended in order to perform smooth swallowing activity in rehabilitation. Then, in this study, presumption of the impedance change by nod operation was enabled. And the corrected IPG was generated by removing this presumed waveform from the measured IPG waveform. When the IPG of the healthy person by nodding swallowing was corrected, it has checked that it could be used for functional evaluation of swallowing like the standard IPG without nodding.