ENDOLARYNGEAL CONTACT PRESSURES

In this work, we present a new method for in vivo endolaryngeal contac t pressure measurement with a miniature pressure transducer. Using thi s methodology, contact pressures can be measured during videoendoscopy at different locations between the artyenoids and also at various loc ations along the membranous vocal folds. Twenty adults with organic an d functional voice disorders and two vocally healthy adults participat ed as subjects. Endolaryngeal contact pressure measures were made duri ng a series of phonatory tasks varying pitch, loudness, and phonatory onset and offset. Measures were also made during nonphonatory tasks, i ncluding throat clearing, coughing, Valsalva maneuvres, and gagging. T he most remarkable findings were: (1) interarytenoid contact pressures were considerably greater than intraglottal contact pressures; (2) in terarytenoid contact pressures were greater for lower than higher pitc hes; (3) both interarytenoid and intraglottal contact pressures were r emarkably large during hard glottal attack; and (4) overall, the large st endolaryngeal pressures were recorded between the arytenoids, durin g a thoracic fixation maneuver and during gag reflex.