Pharyngeal Blood Flow in Patients with Abnormal Sensation in the Throat.

We examined the blood flow in the pharyngeal mucous membrane of patients with abnormal sensation in the throat (AST) using a tissue spectrum analizer (TS-200, Sumitomo Elec.). Index Hemogrobin (IHb) was measured as an indicator of the blood flow by TS-200. First, IHbs measured at 11 different points in the pharynx and tongue were compared between patients with AST and control group. A number of patients with AST and that of control group were 32 and 28, respectively. Their mean ages were 49.0 and 30.7, respectively. There was significant decrease of the blood flow in the wide area of the throat in AST patients (p<0.05, t-test).Next, we examined the relation between the blood flow and the fluctuation of the symptom. A total number of the AST patients was 57, the mean age was 51.4. Mean observation period for this study was 15 weeks. There was a strong correlation between the pharyngeal blood flow and the symptom. That is, the patients when their symptoms decreased showed significant increase of the blood flow in the pharynx especially at the point where they complained of abnormal sensation.We cocluded that the decreased blood flow in the pharynx is one of important factors that caused the abnormal sensation in the throat.