Numerical Modeling and Simulation on the Swallowing of Jelly

Abstract

Studies of the swallowing process are especially important for the development of care foods for dysphagia. However, the effectiveness of experiments on human subjects is somewhat limited due to instrument resolution, stress to the subjects and the risk of aspiration. These problems may be resolved if numerical simulation of swallowing can be used as an alternative investigative tool. On this basis, a numerical model is proposed to simulate the swallowing of a simple jelly bolus. The structure of the pharynx was modeled using a finite element method, and the swallowing movements were defined by pharynx posterior wall shift, laryngeal elevation and epiglottis retroflexion. The rheological characteristics of the jelly were investigated using an oscillatory rheometer and a compression test. A Maxwell three-element model was applied to the rheological model of the jelly. The model constants were obtained from compression tests because the mode of deformation and the stress level of the compression tests were similar to those of the swallowed jelly. The frictional relationship between the organs and the jelly was 5 Corresponding Journal of Texture Studies 40 (2009) 406-426. © 2009 estimated experimentally from some frictional measurements between the jelly and a wet sloping surface. The results of the simulations for the soft and hard jellies showed different patterns of swallowing that depended on their hardness, and the soft jelly produced faster swallowing because of its flexibility. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSThe object of this study is to develop a numerical simulation model of swallowing. Numerical modeling is suitable for the quantitative analysis of the swallowing process and may also be expected to enable a systematic study of care foods that are safe and offer some degree of comfort to patients suffering from swallowing disorders. The computer simulation can be used for evaluation without dangerous risks to the patient.

Numerical Simulation of the Swallowing of Liquid Bolus

“…In order to resolve these problems, the viscous property suitable for alleviating the difficulty of swallowing must be determined by rheological study on the care food and the swallowing flow analysis. Some of the present authors (Mizunuma et al . 2009) numerically simulated the swallowing of a jelly using a finite element model, and discussed the effect of the hardness of the jelly on swallowing.…”

Building a three-dimensional model of the upper gastrointestinal tract for computer simulations of swallowing

“…Modeling peristalsis is related to peristaltic flow simulations, and both require an explicit volume or a surface-based model, which isolates the upper GI tract and is susceptible of deformations, or re-sampling at lower resolutions. Since the hydrodynamics of a peristaltic flow depends on the characteristics of the tissue, determining its instantaneous geometry as well as its continuous deformation is crucial for this study [18,19].…”

Development of a numerical simulator of human swallowing using a particle method (Part 2. Evaluation of the accuracy of a swallowing simulation using the 3D MPS method)

“…In a medical-image-based simulation, researchers estimated the forces from the organs and the movement of the food bolus using VF images [3]. A coupled simulation was carried out using FEM with accurate 3D organs and a food bolus with jelly properties [4]. The accurate 3D FEM models have considered the forced transformations in a coupled simulation of the organs, the liquid bolus, and splashes of the liquid during calculations [5].…”