Interspecies Comparison of Mucosal Wave Properties Using High-Speed Digital Imaging

Objectives/Hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to compare the vocal fold vibratory characteristics of ex vivo bovine, canine, ovine, and porcine larynges to human male and female vocal fold vibrations to determine the best model organism for laryngeal studies concerning vibratory and kinetic characteristics. Study Design: Prospective experimental. Methods: High-speed videos of phonation were gathered at 4,000 frames per second (fps) in the animal models and human high-speed endoscopy data were gathered at 2,000 fps. Videos were converted into kymograms, and the amplitude, oscillation frequency, and phase difference of vocal fold vibration were measured. Results: No statistically significant differences were found with respect to frequency, amplitude, or phase difference between canines and humans. Poreines were not significantly different from human females but did have an oscillation frequency significantly different from human males. Ovine vibrational amplitudes were significantly different from humans, and bovine frequency and amplitude differed significantly from humans. Conclusions: Canine and porcine larynges are the most appropriate model specimens for laryngeal studies contingent on vibratory or kinetic properties of phonation.