Establishing a Mouse Model of Surgical Vocal Fold Injury.

OBJECTIVE

Animal models of vocal fold (VF) surgical injury and scar formation provide insight into the wound healing process. The purpose of this study was to establish an alternative model of surgical injury to the mouse VF using materials commonly available in most research laboratories or for purchase and to investigate wound healing of the epithelium (EP) and lamina propria (LP).

METHODS

Mice were anesthetized by isoflurane gas delivery and positioned on a platform so that the larynx could be observed using a laryngoscope and dissection microscope. Unilateral VF injury was created using a wire brush. Mice were euthanized and the larynx evaluated 1-, 3-, 5-, 7-, 14-, and 28-days following injury. Histological and immunofluorescent analysis was used to evaluate thickness of the EP, LP area, proliferative (Ki67+) and basal cells (p63+) in the EP, and collagen III content in the LP.

RESULTS

The depth of injury reached the superficial thyroarytenoid muscle on Day 1. The thickness of the EP of the injured VF was increased on Days 3 and 5, and the LP area was increased on Days 3, 5, and 7 as compared with the uninjured VF. Ki67+ and p63+ cells were increased on Day 3 and collagen III content was increased on Days 5 and 28 as compared with the uninjured VF.

CONCLUSION

We successfully established an alternative method of creating unilateral VF injury in the mouse. This method will be useful for future research regarding VF surgical injury and wound healing.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

NA Laryngoscope, 135:213-222, 2025.