title: Observation of arytenoid movement during laryngeal elevation using videoendoscopic evaluation of swallowing.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to confirm that the arytenoid regions dynamically adduct and extend upward toward the epiglottis during laryngeal elevation. While 14 healthy volunteers aged 19-32 years old swallowed 5 ml of white soft yogurt in one gulp without chewing, the movement of the arytenoid regions was observed for videoendoscopic evaluation of swallowing (VE). Each moving image was stored simultaneously on videotape. A cross-sectional area surrounded by the epiglottis and the bilateral arytenoid regions (S) and the length of a straight line passing through the anterior borders of the left and right arytenoid regions (L) were measured. The relative area of the entrance in the laryngeal vestibule was calculated as [S/L (2)] before the swallowing reflex (resting condition), just before laryngeal closure, and just after laryngeal closure. [S/L (2)] was smaller just before epiglottal descent than at the resting condition, and became smallest just after the epiglottis started to ascend. The mean area narrowed to 37.9% of the resting area just after laryngeal closure and in the most extreme case to 8.7% of the resting area. It was demonstrated that the arytenoid regions adducted and extended up toward the epiglottis during laryngeal elevation. The technique used to measure the cross-sectional area of the entrance in the laryngeal vestibule employing VE was an effective analytical procedure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki-City, Okayama, 701-0192, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiromasa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsubahara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001193:Arytenoid Cartilage / Q000502:physiology*; D003679:Deglutition / Q000502:physiology*; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004724:Endoscopy; D004825:Epiglottis / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007821:Laryngeal Muscles / Q000502:physiology*; D007830:Larynx / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D014743:Videotape Recording; D055815:Young Adult