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For more than 10 years, Robin Meeks, a 56-year-old artist from the Bronx, lived on a mostly liquid diet. A condition called dysphagia made it nearly impossible for her to swallow solid food without discomfort or choking.

“I had to puree all my food,” Meeks recalled. “I would buy chicken, vegetables, but have to put them in the blender. Or I drank liquid meal replacements. I basically ate the same thing all day, every day, for a decade.”

Doctors at other medical centers repeatedly told her that the condition was permanent, and there was nothing to be done.

“I was extremely frustrated,” said her daughter, Sade, an EMT. “Doctors would say that unless her weight dropped beyond a certain point and she needed a feeding tube, they couldn’t help. But I didn’t want to wait for things to get that bad. Living on a liquid diet alone wasn’t nutritious for her, and she had already lost almost half her body weight.”

Everything changed when Meeks found her way to NYU Langone Health’s Voice Center, where she met Milan R. Amin, MD, director of the center and chief of laryngology within the . Working with the team there, she is now able, after a decade, to finally eat solid food again.

“Swallowing disorders don’t really have a solid home in medicine,” said Dr. Amin. “They can be managed by a variety of specialties, including gastroenterology, otolaryngology, radiology, and rehabilitation medicine. Oftentimes, patients get bounced around without a clear path forward. In Robin’s case, she had severe narrowing at the top of the esophagus caused by membranous scarring or webbing. That’s a problem many physicians are hesitant to treat.”

The Voice Center, which marks its 20th anniversary this year, offers comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis, imaging, and treatment for a wide range of complex conditions affecting the sound and quality of the voice and swallowing; these include cricopharyngeal bar; Zenker’s diverticulum; vocal cord nodules, polyps, and paralysis; and complex cases of dysphagia like Meek’s. The team brings together laryngologists, speech–language pathologists, and other experts to provide care unavailable elsewhere in the region.

After a thorough evaluation, Meeks underwent a rigid esophagoscopy with balloon dilation in December, a procedure designed to both visualize and treat the affected area.

“Using rigid instruments, we were able to get a better view of the upper esophagus, which is an area that’s hard to examine with flexible scopes,” said Dr. Amin. “We saw that she had multiple scar bands. We made precise incisions to release the scar bands and then used a balloon to gently dilate the area.”

The goal was to restore the natural opening of the esophagus while minimizing the risk of perforation and other complications. The procedure was a success.

“The first thing I wanted to eat was lasagna,” Meeks said. “I asked my daughter to make it. I love pasta. I almost ate the whole pan—I was just so excited.”

This summer, she is most looking forward to eating fresh fruits and vegetables without having to blend them.

“To see my mom eat again is incredible,” said Sade. “I was a little skeptical at first, because Dr. Amin was the first doctor in 10 years to say ‘This procedure is done on a regular basis, and we can help.’ But now we go out to eat, and I cook for her. I have no problem making whatever request she has. It’s amazing to see my daughter, who is four now, eat together for the first time with her grandma. It is beautiful.”

Media Inquiries

Lacy Scarmana
Lacy.Scarmana@NYULangone.org