Liquid dynamics in a self-oscillating poroelastic model of the vocal fold

Abstract

The vocal fold tissue is considered as the composite of a porous elastic frame (composed of specialized proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, collagen fibers, and elastin fibers) filled with liquid. The properties of tissue are codetermined by the porous solid, the fluid, and their interaction. The poroelastic description of the vocal fold tissue could improve our knowledge about the mechanical properties and microstructures of these biological tissues. In this study, a self-oscillating poroelastic model is proposed to study the liquid dynamics in the vibrating vocal folds, where the vocal-fold tissue is treated as a transversally isotropic fluid-saturated porous material. Rich liquid dynamics have been found in this model. In the vertical direction, the liquid is transported from the inferior side to the superior side due to the propagation of the mucosal wave. In the longitudinal direction, the liquid is accumulated at the anterior-posterior midpoint. However, the strong collision between two vocal folds forces the accumulated liquid out there in a very short duration. These findings of the liquid dynamics could be helpful for exploring etiology of some laryngeal pathology, optimizing laryngeal disease treatment, understanding hemodynamics in the vocal folds, etc.