“Anti-Choke Mug” – Chula Innovation for Neuro Patients to Drink Water Confidently

Chula Medicine has designed an anti-choke mug with calculated angle, amount, and time of water flow from the mug to the patient’s lips hoping to reduce choking that may lead to lung infection, bring peace of mind to caregivers, and make it safer for patients who will have a better quality of life.

Highlights

Choking is a potentially life-threatening problem, especially when it comes to older adults suffering from neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s diseases, etc. Choking in these patients can cause pneumonia, lung infections, sepsis, and eventually death, so it should not be overlooked by patients and caregivers.

“When patients with difficulty swallowing and are prone to choking come to see the doctor, the doctor would advise them to eat slowly, drink slowly, bend their neck, then swallow mindfully and practice their neck muscles regularly. This is easier said than done, as less than half of the patients can do this because we often eat and drink the way we’re used to, so much so that we run the risk of choking,” reflected Professor Roongroj Bhidayasiri, M.D., a neurology specialist, and head of the Excellence Center for Parkinson’s Disease & Related Disorders, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society.

Professor Roongroj Bhidayasiri, M.D.

“Since it is difficult for the elderly to modify their habits, we find other ways to help by studying normal drinking behavior. The act of lifting our neck when the water touches our lips is used as a basis for the development of the remarkable “anti-choke mug.”