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Vocal fold vibration irregularities caused by different types of laryngeal asymmetry

  • Laryngology
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Abstract

The common symptom of hoarseness is regarded to be caused by (1) turbulences and air loss due to incomplete glottic closure and (2) irregular vibrations of the vocal folds. With real time resolution, the latter can only be observed using high-speed recording techniques (≥2,000 images/s). In this paper an actual recording method is described, called high-speed glottography (HGG), which quantifies vibration irregularities. It combines imaging and image processing techniques with a functional endoscopy of the disordered voice and delivers motion curves separately for each vocal fold. They are fitted with a computer simulation in order to identify the underlying driving parameters of the vibration. A vocal fold is assumed to vibrate as a system of two coupled oscillators ("two-mass model"). From the model fit to bilateral motion curves, the subglottal pressure, muscular tension and oscillating masses of the vocal folds can be computed with reasonable accuracy. Besides normal voices, HGG has been applied to selected clinical cases of voice disorders. Two types of irregularities have been measured: there is a frequency difference either between left and right vocal folds (horizontal asymmetry) or on one side between the ventral and dorsal third (vertical asymmetry). By modeling, both categories of irregular motion curves can be explained in detail. It is presumed that laryngeal asymmetry (either in mass or tension) causes irregular vibrations.

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Acknowledgements

We are indebted to the DFG (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, German Research Council) for taking the risk, in spite of critical reviewer comments, to grant the following projects: DFG Ey15/4, DFG Ey15/6, DFG Ey15/7 and DFG Ey15/10. Fruitful comments and auxiliary services have been given by Dr.-Ing. Dipl.Math. M. Döllinger, Dr. med. P. Kummer, Dipl.-Ing. J. Lohscheller and Dr. med. M. Schuster.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Abteilung für Phoniatrie und Pädaudiologie, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Bohlenplatz 21, 91054, Erlangen, Germany

    U. Eysholdt, F. Rosanowski & U. Hoppe

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  1. U. Eysholdt
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  2. F. Rosanowski
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  3. U. Hoppe
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Correspondence to U. Eysholdt.

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This study was partly presented at the 4th ELS Congress in Brussels, 5–7 September 2002.

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Eysholdt, U., Rosanowski, F. & Hoppe, U. Vocal fold vibration irregularities caused by different types of laryngeal asymmetry. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 260, 412–417 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-003-0606-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-003-0606-y

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