Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 6, 2025

Minimally Invasive Murine Laryngoscopy for Close-Up Imaging of Laryngeal Motion During Breathing and Swallowing
Published on: December 1, 2023
Estimating tongue deformation during laryngoscopy using a hybrid FEM-multibody model and intraoperative tracking - a
Xiaotian Wu1,2, C Antonio Sánchez3, John E Lloyd3
1Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, MA General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Abstract:
Throat tumour margin control remains difficult due to the tight, enclosed space of the oral and throat regions and the tissue deformation resulting from placement of retractors and scopes during surgery. Intraoperative imaging can help with better localization but is hindered by non-image-compatible surgical instruments, cost, and unavailability. We propose a novel method of using instrument tracking and FEM-multibody modelling to simulate soft tissue deformation in the intraoperative setting, without requiring intraoperative imaging, to improve surgical guidance accuracy. We report our first empirical study, based on four trials of a cadaveric head specimen with full neck anatomy, yields a mean TLE of 10.8 ± 5.5 mm, demonstrating methodological feasibility.

