Anatomy
The Larynx is composed of 3 unpaired and 3 paired cartilages. What are they?
Unpaired: Epiglottis, Thyroid, Cricoid
Paired: Arytenoid, Corniculate, Cuneiform
What is the Aerodynamic model?
the air pressure and air flow + mechanical factors involved in muscular activity
What is Laryngectomy? Describe pathology?
surgical removal of the larynx
•The protective function of the larynx is lost
•The voicing source for speech is lost
•The natural vocal fold phonation is permanently lost
Which cartilages sit on posterior Cricoid?
Arytenoid cartilages
What is Bernoulli effect?
air flows from regions of higher to lower pressure.
What are different types of voice disorders?
Psychogenic (i.e. functional): personality type and/or faulty voice habits
Organic (i.e. anatomic): structural or physiologic disease
Which cartilage is part of the system of airway protection (during swallowing)?
The Epiglottis
Provide a real-life example of Bernulli effect?
Airplane: the shape of an airplane wing is such that the air flowing over the top of the wing must travel faster than the air flowing under the wing (greater velocity/speed) and so there is less pressure on top then on the button resulting in lift (air below the wing creates lift).
Paper: if we blow air over the top of the piece of paper the air moves fast along the top and the paper will move up just like the plane to which a wing is attached (E.g., air blowing over the top of the paper -> the air moves faster on the top -> the paper moves up).
What is aphonia?
a loss of voice, and it may be partial (hoarseness) or complete (the patient can just about whisper)
The movements of Vocal Folds are caused by movements of which cartilages?
If we move the arytenoid cartilages, we ABDUCT the vocal folds (OPEN UP).
If we bring the arytenoid cartilages together, we ADDUCT the vocal folds (CLOSE UP).
What are two tissue forces?
Longitudinal tension of Laryngeal muscles (changes in the length of VFs)
Medial compression (“force of adduction”)
What is vocal cord paralysis? Explain speech symptoms?
Vocal fold paralysis can be caused by lower motor neuron lesion, resulting in breathiness, hoarseness, low vocal intensity & ineffective coughing
The vocal folds have three layers. What are the three layers?
(1) The epithelium, or outer cover
(2) The lamina propria, or middle layer (superficial, intermediate, and deep)
(3) The vocalis muscle, or body
Explain the myoelastic-aerodynamic theory?
The air flowing out of the lung is temporarily stopped by the closed (or nearly closed) vocal folds.
This builds up subglottal air pressure, which eventually blows the vocal folds apart. During this process the vocal folds are set into vibration.
The air then moves with increased velocity through the glottal opening. As the air moves swiftly through the open, but still somewhat constricted, vocal folds, the pressure between the edges of the vocal folds decreases, and the folds are sucked together.
What is Spasmodic dysphonia?
Involuntary spasms in the muscles of Larynx (adductors or abductors or both)