Video of Feeding Or Swallowing Problems Due to High Plate or Tongue Tie

With a normal swallow , food and liquids move from the mouth into the esophagus directed by a precise sequence of coordinated muscle movements. However, in babies and young toddlers, the presence of a tongue tie and/or high palate disrupts this sequence by making it much more challenging for the tongue to initiate an efficient and effective swallow. Occasionally, it may even lead to choking or gagging. Watch the video to understand why this happens.

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Video Showing the 4 Stages of Swallowing: Biomechanics & Bolus Movement

With a normal swallow , food and liquids move from the mouth into the esophagus directed by a precise sequence of coordinated muscle movements. In order to adequately describe the biomechanics and bolus movement during swallow, the 4 stage model was developed: Oral Prepatory Stage, Oral Transit Stage, Pharyngeal Stage, and Esophageal Stage. The animation describes each of these stages which provides the necessary background knowledge in order to understand when swallowing is abnormal.

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Video of Pill Swallowing Difficulties: Cause and Treatments

Difficulty swallowing pills but not to foods and liquids is a very common complaint known as pill dysphagia. This condition is often due to a tighter than normal muscular valve at the top of the esophagus known as the cricopharyngeus muscle. Because the opening is tighter than normal, large pills often hang up in the throat leading to symptoms of the pill being stuck in throat sensation and even occasional choking or gagging. Further medical investigation of pill dysphagia often shows nothing …

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Epipen Activation in Slow Motion Video

A fun little project showing an Epipen needle ejection both at normal speed and in slow motion (240fps). Even in slow motion which I digitally slowed even further to 480fps right at the Epipen activation stage, I still was not able to capture a needle slowly being ejected from the cartridge. Just goes to show you just how fast the needle moves.

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Toupet Fundoplication or 270° Stomach Wrap to Treat Reflux

This animation describes how a Toupet Fundoplication or 270° stomach wrap is performed to surgically stop reflux from happening. Theoretically, the Toupet Fundoplication addresses some of the shortcomings (bloating, trouble swallowing, inability to vomit/burp) experienced with the more standard Nissen Fundoplication or 360° stomach wrap, especially for patients suffering from both reflux and ineffective esophageal motility. This animation was created with Dr. Kevin Gillian at the Virginia He…

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What Happens When You Burp

Everybody burps whether they choose to admit it or not. But have you ever wondered what exactly happens anatomically when somebody burps? Watch  the video above to learn what happens! There is also a rare condition when an individual can not burp no matter how much they want or need to. Watch the video below to learn more about this disorder called retrograde cricopharyngeus dysfunction  (R-CPD).

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