UC Swallowing Rehabilitation Research Laboratory
Research
Introduction
The specific diagnosis and rehabilitation of swallowing and swallowing disorders has evolved into a major clinical concern for many professionals in the healthcare community. In many medical settings, speech and language pathologists spend in excess of 50% of their clinical day addressing this disorder. However, the speech and language therapist represents a single member of a multi-disciplinary team. Otolaryngologists, neurologists, gastroenterologists, pulmonologists, dieticians and occupational therapists are some of the other disciplines that are critical to the efficacious management of the dysphagic patient.
Despite the recent proliferation in clinical practice and research, the management of swallowing remains in imprecise practice. As this is a relatively new area of clinical specialization, the need for continued research cannot be overlooked. Further research is required in order to guide the development of sound practice patterns and assure a scientific basis for clinical activities.
Previously located at the Princess Margaret Hospital, the swallowing rehabilitation research laboratory has recently relocated to the newly opened Van der Veer Institute for Parkinson's and Brain Research. This multi-institutional and multi-disciplinary facility will offer increased opportunities for expanding the scope of research from the swallowing laboratory through collaborative interactions with researchers from several other disciplines. Although small in space, the laboratory is big in activity. A thriving group of post-graduate and undergraduate students utilise laboratory space to complete on-going research activities. In addition, specialised clinical services to patients with Parkinson's disease will be offered through the laboratory and will be supported by clinical educators from the Department of Communication Disorders.
Equipment
A University of Canterbury Equipment Grant was augmented by contributions from the Princess Margaret Hospital and the Canterbury Geriatric Medical Research Fund to purchase instrumentation with which to base measurements of the biomechanics of swallowing for the purpose of conducting clinical and basic scientific research. The Kay Elemetrics Swallowing Workstation (Model 7100) houses instrumentation for fiberoptic endoscopy, manometry, electromyography, acoustic and pressure data acquisition, and computerized image processing of radiographic, endoscopic and manometric data.
In addition, several pieces of clinical surface electromyography biofeedback equipment belonging to faculty at the University of Canterbury are housed at the laboratory. Additional grants have been submitted to the University for the addition of an evoked potentials laboratory.
Although the primary usage of the instrumentation in the centre will be for research purposes, scheduling of the equipment for clinical use by staff of the Canterbury District Health Board is encouraged, and will be supported, as needed and as available, by academic staff at the university.
Contact Information
Maggie Lee Huckabee, Ph.D.
Laboratory Phone: 64 3 378 6094
Office Phone: 64 3 378 6070
maggie-lee.huckabee@canterbury.ac.
Post Address
c/o Van Der Veer Institute for Parkinson's and Brain Research
16 St Asaphs Street
Christchurch
NEW ZEALAND
Newsletters
- Swallowing Research Laboratory Newsletter July 2002 (Publisher 33,192kb)
- Swallowing Research Laboratory Newsletter March 2003 (PDF, 481kb)
- Swallowing Research Laboratory Newsletter September 2003 (PDF, 509kb)