An Integrated Experimental-Computational Study of Vocal Fold Vibration in Type I Thyroplasty.

Subject-specific computational modeling of vocal fold vibration was integrated with an ex vivo animal experiment of type 1 thyroplasty to study the effect of the implant on the vocal fold vibration. In the experiment, a rabbit larynx was used to simulate type 1 thyroplasty, where one side of the vocal fold was medialized with a trans-muscular suture while the other side was medialized with a silastic implant. Vocal fold vibration was then achieved by flowing air through the larynx and was filmed with a high-speed camera. The 3D computational model was built upon the pre-operative scan of the laryngeal anatomy. This subject-specific model was used to simulate the vocal fold medialization and then the fluid-structure interaction of the vocal fold. Model validation was done by comparing the vocal fold displacement with post-operative scan (for medialization), and by comparing the vibratory characteristics with the high-speed images (for vibration). These comparisons showed the computational model successfully captured the effect of the implant and thus has the potential for pre-surgical planning.