Development of a micro-laryngovibrator for early confirmation of carcinoma invasion

1999 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 10671613
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Otorhinolaryngology
• Research Institution: Keio University
• Principal Investigator: FUKUDA Hiroyuki Keio University school of Medicine, Associate Professor, 医学部, 助教授 (40051510)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): SUGIYAMA Hiroshi Keio University school of Medicine, Instructor, 医学部, 助手 (10265902) ; KATO Takashi Keio University school of Medicine, Instructor, 医学部, 助手 (40224513)
• Project Period (FY): 1998 – 1999
• Keywords: laryngeal cancer / wave motion / Vibrotor / laser

Research Abstract

It is a most important thing that the early confirmation of the cancer invasion on the vocal foldes is easily performed for daily laryngological clinics.
It is well known that the vocal folds membrane will be stiffened due to carcinoma invasion. And if the vocal folds is stiffened, the wave motion of the membrane is strongly affected. As the dayly clinic for the patients with the vocal disturbance, the stroboscopical observation of the larynx is said to be the most effective. If there is a part of the vocal folds where the wave motion is inhibited, it can be said that the part may be invaded by the cancer cell. This idea is introduced for the case of early carcinoma of the vocal folds when we vaporize the vocal folds using the laser beams If the patient can phonate, we can apply the stroboscope using the patient voice. However, if under the general anesthesia, the patient can not phonate, resulting no wave motion under stroboscopy. Therefore, we have newly developed a laryngo- vibrator which makes a wave motion on the vocal folds. The wave motion by a vibrator can be also observed under the stroboscope. For the purpose of the finer observation of the wave motion, we have newly developed a micro-vibrator which can make a finer vibration on the vocal folds. This micro-vibrator was used for a basic study using a canine larynx. We confirm that this tool is very useful to find the stiffened part of the vocal folds. We are now planning that this vibratory power can be introduced through the direct laryngoscope and, in addition, through the flexible fiberscope in orfer to use this idea for dayly clinics.