Swallowing disorders can take away the simple joy of eating and drinking. For the many people across the country suffering from swallowing disorders such as achalasia, eating and drinking can become a miserable experience and dramatically impact their quality of life.

Most people have heard of cardiac catheterization, a procedure designed to diagnose and treat car- diovascular disease. During cardiac catheterization, a catheter is inserted into an artery or vein and threaded to the heart, allowing doctors to perform diagnostics or treatment such as coronary angioplasty and stenting.

In the U.S., nearly half a million back surgeries are performed per year. The success rates vary depending on the diagnosis and particular operation that is performed.