• National patents: US
• Publication number: US20020133194 A1
• Publication type: Application
• Application number: US 09/725,055
• Publication date: Sep.19, 2002
• Filing date: Nov. 29, 2000
• Patent number: US6484053 B2
• Date of Patent: Nov. 19, 2002
• Inventors: Vitoon Leelamanit, Chusak Limsakul, Alan Geater
• Original Assigne: Pairash Thajchayapong
• Status Patented:

ABSTRACT:

The sequential stimulator the treatment of dysphagic patients comprises a unit which is capable of detecting a swallowing signal from the glossal or temporalis muscle SEMG. When a swallowing signal is recognized, a trigger signal is sent to the stimulation generation unit to release a high voltage stimuli sequentially to the suprahyoid muscles or the masseter muscles and the pharyngeal muscles in order to assist in the elevation of the larynx. This enables the pharyngeal lumen to open more widely so that food can pass through the patient’s pharynx and into the oesophagus more easily during swallowing. Thus the sequential stimulator is a device for assisting swallowing in patients with dysphagia due to a variety of causes, for instance, brain injury, cerebrovascular accident, injury of the cervical nerves, muscles weakness, or old age. The stimulator is operative only when the patient attempts to swallow and provides a physiologic stimulus and provides a means of immediate relief of the swallowing difficulty. However, the device is also useful for physical therapy whereby the muscles under the chin, the masseter muscles and the pharyngeal muscles can be reeducated to contract in the normal coordinated sequence.