title: Assessing Upper Esophageal Sphincter Function in Clinical Practice: a Primer.
abstract: The upper esophageal sphincter constitutes an important anatomic and functional landmark in the physiology of pharyngeal swallowing. A variety of clinical circumstances may call for a dedicated evaluation of this mechanism, from the etiologic evaluation of indeterminate symptoms to the generation of complex locoregional therapeutic strategies. Multiple diagnostic tools exist for the assessment of pharyngeal swallowing generally and of upper esophageal sphincter function specifically, some well established and others not yet settled into routine practice. This report reviews five specific modalities for use in making this assessment, outlining the strengths, weaknesses, and logistical considerations of each with respect to its potential use in clinical settings. In many cases, these studies will provide complementary information regarding pharyngeal function, suggesting the relative advantage of a multimodal evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Nitin K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Ahuja
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endoscopy, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. wwchan@bwh.harvard.edu.|Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. wwchan@bwh.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Walter W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D003679:Deglutition / Q000502:physiology; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004576:Electromyography / Q000379:methods; D049631:Esophageal Sphincter, Upper / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology / Q000379:methods; D005471:Fluoroscopy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008365:Manometry / Q000379:methods; D010614:Pharynx / Q000503:physiopathology
keywords: Cricopharyngeus; Fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing; Globus sensation; Oropharyngeal dysphagia; Pharyngeal manometry; Videofluoroscopy