Biomechanical characterisation of equine laryngeal cartilage.
Abstract: Upper airway obstruction is a common problem in the performance horse as the soft tissues of the larynx collapse into the airway, yet there is a paucity of information on biomechanical properties for the structural cartilage components. Objective: To measure the geometry and compressive mechanical properties of the hyaline cartilage to improve understanding of laryngeal function and morphology. Methods: A total of 11 larynges were harvested from Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses. During gross dissection, linear dimensions of the cricoid were obtained. From both the cricoid and arytenoid, specimens were cored to obtain 6 mm disc samples from 3 sites within the dorsal cricoid (caudal, middle and rostral) and 2 central sites in the arytenoids (inner, outer). The specimens were mechanically tested using radial confined compression to calculate the aggregate modulus and permeability of the tissue. The biomechanical data were analysed using a nested mixed effects model. Results: Geometrically, the cricoid has relatively straight walls compared to the morphology of human, ovine and canine larynges. There were significant observations of higher modulus with increasing age (0.13 MPa per year; P = 0.007) and stiffer cricoid cartilage (2.29 MPa) than the arytenoid cartilage (0.42 MPa; P<0.001), but no difference was observed between the left and right sides. Linear contrasts showed that the rostral aspect (2.51 MPa) of the cricoid was 20% stiffer than the caudal aspect (2.09 MPa; P = 0.025), with no difference between the arytenoid sites. Conclusions: The equine larynx is a well supported structure due to both the geometry and material properties of the cricoid cartilage. The hyaline structure is an order of magnitude higher in compressive modulus compared to the arytenoids and other hyaline-composed tissues. Conclusions: These characterisations are important to understand the biomechanics of laryngeal function and the mechanisms involved with surgical interventions.
© 2011 EVJ Ltd.
Publication Date: 2011-05-05 PubMed ID: 21545513DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00315.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This research examined the structure and biomechanical properties of laryngeal cartilage in horses, aiming to enhance understanding of airway obstructions and laryngeal function. The team found notable distinctions in stiffness and geometric shape which may have implications on surgical interventions.
Methodology
In their study, the researchers:
- Utilized 11 larynges collected from Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses.
- Took linear measurements of the cricoid—the largest cartilage at the base of the larynx—during gross dissection.
- Extracted 6mm samples from various locations within the cricoid and arytenoid cartilage for testing.
- Conducted mechanical tests to calculate the aggregate modulus—a measure of a material’s resistance to deformation—and tissue permeability.
- Devised a mixed effects model to study the collected data.
Results
Analysis of the data revealed that:
- Horses’ cricoid, unlike that in humans, sheep, and dogs, has relatively straight walls.
- There’s a significant increase in modulus with the age of the horse—indicating increasing rigidity of the cartilage as the horse ages.
- The cricoid cartilage was markedly stiffer than the arytenoid cartilage.
- There was no observed difference between the left and right sides of the cartilage.
- The frontal portion of the cricoid was 20% stiffer than its rear end.
- There was no notable difference in stiffness between the different arytenoid sites.
Conclusion
Based on their findings, the team concluded:
- The equine larynx is very well supported largely due to the shape and material properties of the cricoid cartilage.
- The hyaline structure, part of the cartilage, has a much higher compressive modulus than the arytenoids and other tissues composed of hyaline.
- These discoveries are critical for better comprehending the biomechanics of laryngeal function and will aid the development of surgical interventions in horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Passman SN, Cheetham J, Bonassar LJ, Ducharme NG, Rawlinson JJ.
(2011).
Biomechanical characterisation of equine laryngeal cartilage.
Equine Vet J, 43(5), 592-598.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00315.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- URS Corporation, Maryland, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Biomechanical Phenomena
- Female
- Horses / anatomy & histology
- Horses / physiology
- Laryngeal Cartilages / anatomy & histology
- Laryngeal Cartilages / physiology
- Male
Citations
This article has been cited 5 times.- Gray SM, Gutierrez-Nibeyro SD, Horn GP, McCoy AM, Schaeffer DJ, Stewart M. The effect of repeated freezing and thawing on the suture pull-out strength in equine arytenoid and cricoid cartilages. Vet Surg 2022 Oct;51(7):1106-1110.
- Pauken CM, Heyes R, Lott DG. Mechanical, Cellular, and Proteomic Properties of Laryngotracheal Cartilage. Cartilage 2019 Jul;10(3):321-328.
- Brown BN, Siebenlist NJ, Cheetham J, Ducharme NG, Rawlinson JJ, Bonassar LJ. Computed tomography-guided tissue engineering of upper airway cartilage. Tissue Eng Part C Methods 2014 Jun;20(6):506-13.
- Cheetham J, Regner A, Jarvis JC, Priest D, Sanders I, Soderholm LV, Mitchell LM, Ducharme NG. Functional electrical stimulation of intrinsic laryngeal muscles under varying loads in exercising horses. PLoS One 2011;6(8):e24258.
- Naghavi Zadeh M, Patel KD, Gosden D, Smith JA, Gates PJ, Qi Q, Scarpa F, Conn A, Perriman AW, Rossiter J. Hybrid diacrylate resin-gelatin methacryloyl composite with bone-to-brain stiffness range. Commun Mater 2025;6(1):219.
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