Validation of the newborn larynx modeling with aerodynamical experimental data

Nicollas, R.; Giordano, J.; Garrel, R.; Medale, M.; Caminat, P.; Giovanni, A.; Ouaknine, M.; Triglia, J.M.

doi:10.1016/j.medengphy.2008.08.009

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Volume 31, Issue 5 , Pages 547-552, June 2009

Validation of the newborn larynx modeling with aerodynamical experimental data

R. Nicollas
- Laboratoire de l’I.U.S.T.I., U.M.R. 6595 C.N.R.S.-Université de Provence, Technopôle de Château-Gombert, 5 Rue Enrico Fermi 13453 Marseille cedex 13, France
- Laboratoire d’Audiophonologie clinique et expérimentale, Université de la Méditerranée, C.H.U. Timone, 264 Rue Saint Pierre, 13385 Marseille cedex 05, France
- Corresponding author at: Service d’ORL pédiatrique, CHU Timone Enfants, 264 rue Saint Pierre, 13385 Marseille cedex 5, France.
J. Giordano
- Laboratoire de l’I.U.S.T.I., U.M.R. 6595 C.N.R.S.-Université de Provence, Technopôle de Château-Gombert, 5 Rue Enrico Fermi 13453 Marseille cedex 13, France
R. Garrel
- Laboratoire d’Audiophonologie clinique et expérimentale, Université de la Méditerranée, C.H.U. Timone, 264 Rue Saint Pierre, 13385 Marseille cedex 05, France
M. Medale
- Laboratoire de l’I.U.S.T.I., U.M.R. 6595 C.N.R.S.-Université de Provence, Technopôle de Château-Gombert, 5 Rue Enrico Fermi 13453 Marseille cedex 13, France
P. Caminat
- Laboratoire de Mécanique des Fluides, UNIMECA, 60 rue Joliot Curie, Technopole de Chateau-Gombert, 13453 Marseille, France
A. Giovanni
- Laboratoire d’Audiophonologie clinique et expérimentale, Université de la Méditerranée, C.H.U. Timone, 264 Rue Saint Pierre, 13385 Marseille cedex 05, France
M. Ouaknine
- Laboratoire d’Audiophonologie clinique et expérimentale, Université de la Méditerranée, C.H.U. Timone, 264 Rue Saint Pierre, 13385 Marseille cedex 05, France
J.M. Triglia
- Laboratoire d’Audiophonologie clinique et expérimentale, Université de la Méditerranée, C.H.U. Timone, 264 Rue Saint Pierre, 13385 Marseille cedex 05, France

Received 14 August 2007; received in revised form 20 July 2008; accepted 30 August 2008. published online 15 December 2008.

Abstract

Background

Many authors have studied adult’s larynx modelization, but the mechanisms of newborn’s voice production have very rarely been investigated. After validating a numerical model with acoustic data, studies were performed on larynges of human fetuses in order to validate this model with aerodynamical experiments.

Material and methods

Anatomical measurements were performed and a simplified numerical model was built using Fluent^® with the vocal folds in phonatory position. The results obtained are in good agreement with those obtained by laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV) and high-frame rate particle image velocimetry (HFR-PIV), on an experimental bench with excised human fetus larynges.