title: Dissection plane of the human vocal fold lamina propria and elastin fibre concentration.
abstract: To determine whether a natural plane of dissection occurs in the normal human vocal fold, semi-blunt instruments (Bouchayer laryngeal dissectors) were used to dissect the lamina propria. The depth of the plane of dissection was correlated with the elastin fibre concentration to determine whether the plane occurred at a predictable point in the elastin concentration as it increased between the superficial and middle layers. Eight human larynges were dissected using an operative microscope. The dissection plane consistently occurred between 23-50% depth into the lamina propria. No consistent correlation was found with the elastin fibre concentration. The depth of the plane of dissection has an interesting association with age: dissection planes occurred more superficially in older specimens.
authors.affiliation: National Center for Voice and Speech, Department of Surgery, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, USA. pcsgray@ihc.com
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Turner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D004210:Dissection; D004549:Elastin / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007828:Laryngoscopy / Q000379:methods; D008866:Microsurgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004549:Elastin