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Updated: Mar 22, 2026

Construction and Characterization of a Novel Vocal Fold Bioreactor
Published on: August 1, 2014
Over-vibration induced blood perfusion and vascular permeability changes may lead to vocal edema
Jiajia Wang1, Erin Devine2, Rui Fang1
1Department of Otolaryngology, Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Hospital, Fudan University Medical School, Shanghai, China.
Objectives/Hypothesis:
To observe blood perfusion and vascular permeability changes under varying vibration frequency exposures.
Study Design:
Animal model.
Methods:
Blood perfusion was measured using laser Doppler flowmetry in eight rabbit auricular vessels (four rabbits) under nonvibration, and 62.5-Hz/1-mm, 125-Hz/1-mm, and 250-Hz/0.5-mm vibration frequency/amplitude exposures. Another 12 rabbits were randomly divided into vibration only and vibration with histamine groups. After 3 hours of continuous 125-Hz, 1-mm amplitude vibration of the auricle, vascular permeability was analyzed by absorbance of Evans blue-albumin complex.
Results:
Significantly lower blood perfusion was observed in the vibration group, compared with no vibration exposure controls. Blood perfusion decreased 29 ± 16% as the vibration frequency was increased from 62.5 Hz to 125 Hz with the vibration amplitude constant at 1 mm. When the frequency was increased from 125 Hz to 250 Hz, while the amplitude was decreased from 1 mm to 0.5 mm, blood flow perfusion further decreased 29 ± 29%, and the decline tendency in blood perfusion showed no significant difference (P = .992). Meanwhile, in the vibration with histamine group, vascular permeability of the vibrated ears increased significantly compared to the nonvibrated ears (P = .005).
Conclusions:
Overvibration of the vocal folds due to voice overuse or abuse may significantly reduce blood perfusion, and increase vascular permeability in the vocal fold in inflammatory situations, which may lead to the formation of vocal edema.
Level Of Evidence:
NA Laryngoscope, 127:148-152, 2017.
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