Relationship between the throat and the esophagus in swallowing

Swallowing involves a series of “pumps” and “valves” moving food from the mouth to the stomach. In our study, we are interested in how these “pumps” and “valves” function in relation to each other during normal swallowing, especially how those further down the digestive tract affect those before them.

We are looking for healthy men and women 35 years of age and older with no prior swallowing problems/ neurological illnesses/ gastrointestinal diseases. You will act as the healthy control group that patients with esophageal diseases are compared against.

It will involve just one 45-minute session at the University of Canterbury Rose Centre for Stroke Recovery and Research (situated in St George’s Medical Centre). We will assess your swallowing using technology called high-resolution impedance manometry, where a thin tube is passed through the nose into the stomach to take pressure recordings. You will have some food and drink as we record the pressures while you are swallowing. You will receive a $10 petrol voucher to offset travel costs.

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