Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 2, 2026
Minimally Invasive Murine Laryngoscopy for Close-Up Imaging of Laryngeal Motion During Breathing and Swallowing
Published on: December 1, 2023
Effects of surface dehydration on mucosal wave amplitude and frequency in excised canine larynges
Rachel E Witt1, Lindsay N Taylor, Michael F Regner
1University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, Department of Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
Objective:
Evaluate the effect of vocal fold surface dehydration on mucosal wave amplitude and frequency.
Study Design:
Controlled test-retest.
Setting:
Larynges were mounted on an excised larynx phonation system and attached to a pseudolung in a triple-walled sound-attenuated room that eliminated background noise and maintained a stabilized room temperature and humidity level.
Subjects And Methods:
High-speed video was recorded for 8 excised canine larynges during exposure to dehumidified air at 20 cm H(2)O. Control trials consisted of high-speed videos recorded for 2 excised canine larynges during exposure to humidified air at the same pressure.
Results:
In the majority of larynges, increased levels of dehydration were correlated with decreased amplitude and frequency. The slope of the linear regression fitted to the change in amplitude (P = .003) and the percent change (P < .001) between the initial and final trials were significantly decreased in dehydrated larynges. These measurements with respect to the change in frequency were also significantly decreased in dehydrated larynges (P < .001; P = .027).
Conclusion:
Vocal fold surface dehydration caused a decrease in mucosal wave amplitude and frequency. This study provides objective, quantitative support for the mechanism of voice deterioration observed after extreme surface dehydration.
