A reduced-order flow model for vocal fold vibration: From idealized to subject-specific models

• Published in: Journal of fluids and structures Vol. 94; p. 102940
• Main Authors: Chen, Ye, Li, Zheng, Chang, Siyuan, Rousseau, Bernard, Luo, Haoxiang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2020
• Subjects: Fluid–structure interaction; Phonation; Reduced-order model; Subject-specific model; Vocal fold; Fluid–structure interaction; Vocal fold; Subject-specific model; Phonation; Reduced-order model; vocal fold; reduced-order model; subject-specific model; fluid–structure interaction; phonation
• ISSN: 0889-9746; 1095-8622
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jfluidstructs.2020.102940

We present a reduced-order model for fluid–structure interaction (FSI) simulation of vocal fold vibration during phonation. This model couples the three-dimensional (3D) tissue mechanics and a one-dimensional (1D) flow model that is derived from the momentum and mass conservation equations for the glottal airflow. The effects of glottal entrance and pressure loss in the glottis are incorporated in the flow model. We consider both idealized vocal fold geometries and subject-specific anatomical geometries segmented from the MRI images of rabbits. For the idealized vocal fold geometries, we compare the simulation results from the 1D/3D hybrid FSI model with those from the full 3D FSI simulation based on an immersed-boundary method. For the subject-specific geometries, we incorporate previously estimated tissue properties for individual samples and compare the results with those from the high-speed imaging experiment of in vivo phonation. In both setups, the comparison shows good agreement in the vibration frequency, amplitude, phase delay, and deformation pattern of the vocal fold, which suggests potential application of the present approach for future patient-specific modeling. •A novel 1D flow model was used to simulate the pulsatile glottal airflow.•The 1D flow model was used in FSI of vocal fold vibration.•Both idealized 3D vocal fold and anatomical geometries are considered.•The new model is validated against the full 3D FSI model or in vivo experiment.