Objectives/Hypothesis:Mucosal closure following laryngeal microsurgery can be challenging due to limited access, and incisions are often left to heal without formal closure. This study explores the hypothesis that a bioabsorbable microclip can be developed as an alternative method to close mucosal incisions in laryngeal microsurgery.Study Design:Animal study.Methods:In vitro studies were performed to determine if a suitable clip could be designed using bioabsorbable materials. A porcine model was used to study behavior of the clip in vivo.Results:We initially studied poly‐ϵ‐caprolactone but encountered difficulty creating a small clip with the necessary material strength. Using magnesium we were able to produce a clip sufficiently small to close vocal fold incisions. Magnesium is biocompatible, bioabsorbable, and malleable, and has been used to manufacture vascular stents and sutures. The magnesium microclip could be deployed rapidly using modified 2‐mm micro‐laryngeal cup forceps, which enable the clip to close in a circular shape. In vitro and in vivo tests showed the clip held securely to the vocal fold mucosa. Macroscopic and histologic studies showed no significant injury to the contralateral vocal fold. There was no evidence of lower airway injury after implanting clips into the lower airway.Conclusions:The bioabsorbable clip could be used to close selected incisions in laryngeal microsurgery. Currently we are working to further reduce the size of the clip and modify its bioabsorption properties to enable precise control of degradation.
Mechanical and computational models consisting of flow channels with convergent and oscillating constrictions have been applied to study the dynamics of human vocal fold vibration. To the best of our knowledge, no mechanical model has been studied using a material substitute with similar physical properties to the human vocal fold for surgical experimentation. In this study, we design and develop a mechanical larynx with agarose as a vocal fold substitute, and assess its suitability for surgical experimentation. Agarose is selected as a substitute for the vocal fold as it exhibits similar nonlinear hyperelastic characteristics to biological soft tissue. Through uniaxial compression and extension tests, we determined that agarose of 0.375% concentration most closely resembles the vocal fold mucosa and ligament of a 20-year old male for small tensile strain with an R(2) value of 0.9634 and root mean square error of 344.05±39.84 Pa. Incisions of 10 mm lengthwise and 3 mm in depth were created parallel to the medial edge on the superior surface of agar phantom. These were subjected to vibrations of 80, 130, and 180 Hz, at constant amplitude of 0.9 mm over a period of 10 min each in the mechanical larynx model. Lateral expansion of the incision was observed to be most significant for the lower frequency of 80 Hz. This model serves as a basis for future assessments of wound closure techniques during microsurgery to the vocal fold.
Music moves people. People physicalize movement- tap their feet, play “air-piano” or imagine gestures through the use of portable music devices. This research investigates the interplay between people and music in the context of a daily long commute and in relation to portable music player devices, such as headphones. The research employed qualitative methods to understand a listener’s lived experience through devices they use in commute. Results suggest the importance of presence and flow as features identified from people moving to music during a train commute, and it suggests how portable music devices may be adapted for commute.
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