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Purpose: The videoradiographic examination described was designed for habitual snorers and sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) patients and was performed during wakefulness and sleep. During wakefulness the purpose was to reveal any dysfunction in deglutition and speech as well as morphologic abnormalities. The purpose during sleep, which usually was induced by low-dose midazolam intravenously, was to reveal the site and form of obstruction in obstructive sleep apnea patients and the site of snoring in habitual snorers. Material: The preoperative results of 104 patients are presented. In 57 patients who had apneas, the occurrence and type of apnea could be determined. Results and Conclusion: A continuous recording over some minutes gave a rough estimate of the degree of SAS and mean duration of apnea. Although much information on SAS can be obtained by this method, it cannot replace polygraphic sleep recording in the investigation of habitual snorers and SAS patients. However, these 2 methods are complementary and can be performed simultaneously as polygraphic videoradiography.

Percutaneous submental electrical stimulation during sleep may be a new therapeutic method for patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Electrical stimulation to the submental region during obstructive apnea is reported to break the apnea without arousal and to diminish apneic index, time spent in apnea, and oxygen desaturation. The mode of breaking the apnea by electrical stimulation has not yet been shown. However, genioglossus is supposed to be the muscle responsible for breaking the apnea by forward movement of the tongue. To visualize the effect of submental electrical stimulation, one patient with severe OSAS has been examined with videoradiography. Submental electrical stimulation evoked an immediate complex muscle activity in the tongue, palate, and hyoid bone. This was followed by a forward movement of the tongue which consistently broke obstructive apnea without apparent arousal. Time spent in apnea was diminished but intervals between apnea were not affected.

Patients with velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) without cleft palate, who appear for the first time in adulthood for treatment, will probably reveal a high percentage of undiagnosed myotonic dystrophy (MD). Videoradiography of deglutition and speech reveals the diagnosis. Eleven adult noncleft palate patients with VPI were studied with videoradiography of the pharynx and esophagus. Three exhibited functional radiographic manifestations of MD during deglutition and speech. The diagnosis confirmed by neurologic examination was not known or suspected prior to videoradiography. An additional patient with VPI and suspected MD displayed the same constellation of radiographic findings. Follow-up examinations confirmed the diagnosis of MD. Three of the four patients had had symptoms of VPI since childhood, but none had complaints of deglutition problems except for accidental nasal regurgitations.

Cineradiographic examinations of 72 patients with dysphagia and normal or abnormal studies demonstrating a range of pharyngeal dysfunctions during swallowing were retrospectively reviewed independently by six radiologists. The interobserver variability was then assessed. There was high concordance for the assessment of contrast medium reaching into the trachea, absent pharyngeal constriction, and the presence of Zenker diverticula. The concordance was less for normal pharyngeal function as well as decreased pharyngeal constriction and cricopharyngeal muscle impression less than 50%. The number of disagreements varied according to the observer's experience. Cineradiographic examinations of pharyngeal function during swallow had an acceptable degree of interobserver variability and can be a useful tool for the evaluation of pharyngeal function in patients with dysphagia.