ULTRASONOGRAPHIC EVALUATION OF PIECEMEAL DEGLUTITION IN NORMAL ADULTS

Objectives: To evaluate the range of multiple swallowing in normal sub jects by ultrasonography. Methods: Twenty-two normal subjects swallowe d 5 or 10 ml of tap water or a semisolid meal, Results: With water mul tiple swallows were seen in 41% of the subjects examined and was relat ed to the volume of the bolus: 18% of the cases were 5 ml and 36% were 10 ml. Sixty-eight percent of subjects had multiple swallows with sem isolid boluses. Conclusion: These results differ from those reported w ith videofluoroscopy of modified barium swallowing. Ultrasonography sh ould be used in future studies of normal and pathological oral swallow ing.