IOPI Medical LLC

IOPI Medical manufactures and distributes the IOPI System, a medical device that objectly measures tongue and lip strength and is used in the evaluation and treatment of swallowing disorders.

These measures aid professionals involved in the treatment and study of disorders affecting swallowing, speech, and eating by:
-Objectively documenting deficits that justify treatment
-Diagnostically differentiating between muscle weakness and problems of motor control
-Providing biofeedback during isometric oral motor exercise programs
-Motivating patients by showing them their progress from muscle exercise therapy.

How does the IOPI measure strength?
-The IOPI measures the strength of the tongue by measuring the maximum pressure that an individual can produce in a disposable standard-sized tongue bulb by pressing the bulb against the roof of the mouth with the tongue. The units displayed are kilopascals (kPa), based on the internationally-recognized unit of pressure, the Pascal (Pa).

How does the IOPI measure endurance?
In patients with dysphagia or dysarthria, oral motor fatigability may be of interest. The IOPI can be used to assess tongue fatigability by measuring its endurance, which is inversely proportional to fatigability. Low endurance values are an indicator of a high fatigability.

How is the IOPI used for exercise therapy?
The IOPI has a vertical row of lights (LEDs) on the front. The higher the pressure, the higher the position of the light that is turned on. Producing a pressure that can turn on the top (green) light can be thought of as “winning”(“I hit the target!”). The pressure required to illuminate the green light at the top of the IOPI’s light array can be adjusted using the Set Max arrow buttons. The medical professional determines what target value is appropriate for exercise therapy purposes and provides specific instructions to the patient for a particular exercise protocol.

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