Experimental analysis of intraglottal flow and geometry

Abstract

During phonation, skewing of the glottal area and glottal flow refers to phenomenon that occurs when the area or the flow decelerates more rapidly than it accelerates. This skewing is clinically important because it increases the glottal efficiency (defined by the acoustic intensity divided by the subglottal pressure). Current theoretical models predict that skewing of the area is not directly proportional to skewing of the flow due to the affects of vocal tract inertance. Recently, we have developed a method that can measure airflow velocity, the distance between the folds, and the glottal flow rate in excised canine larynx. In the current study, PIV measurements are taken in five excised canine larynges having all the structures above the vocal folds removed. The results show strong correlation between the maximum closing rate at the superior aspect of the folds and the lowest negative pressure that is computed inside the glottis during the closing phase. The results also show that the magnitude of the ...