head and neck sim swallow

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RickyScott

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How do you guys deal with swallowing during head and neck simulation. Do you ask patients to swallow/not swallow just before CT or CBCT

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Ask them to not swallow. They inevitably do so wait a heartbeat before starting to scan.
 
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Our sim automatically tells them "Please don't swallow" when you press the sim button : )

Two techniques used for swallow motion reduction in BOT, oral cavity, etc.:
1. Dental stents to immobilize tongue==decreased motion; This reduces tongue motion, but increases larynx displacement.
2. We teach them a "pharyngeal swallow". Basically, a gulping technique; we have them practice sticking their tongue out w mouth open sticking over their teeth, and have them swallow with tongue out (similar to the way you swallow pills). They practice this sitting up and then on their back; once they have it down they can swallow even w stent in place.

For larynx, when they swallow, it takes a few seconds to return to baseline placement so we have them swallow hard three times, wait 5 seconds, then sim sans swallow.
 
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