Age-related changes in the hyoepiglottic ligament: functional implications based on histopathologic study☆
Received 21 April 2009 published online 12 October 2009. Corrected Proof
Abstract
Purpose
The study aimed to identify age-related changes in the hyoepiglottic ligament associated with function of the epiglottis during swallowing and respiration.
Materials and Methods
Normal postmortem laryngeal tissue samples were obtained at autopsy from 20 individuals with no history of laryngeal disease. The subjects were divided into 2 groups: those aged 81–91 years (elderly group, n = 11) and those aged 31–48 years (non-elderly group, n = 9). Specimens were subjected to Elastica van Gieson and hematoxylin-eosin staining, and characteristics of the hyoepiglottic ligament were compared between groups.
Results
The hyoepiglottic ligament extended from the epiglottis to both lingual muscles and the hyoid bone (pars lingualis and pars hyoideus). The numbers of muscle fibers (P < .001), collagenous fibers (P < .01), and elastic fibers (P < .001) were significantly decreased in the elderly group in comparison to those in the non-elderly group.
Conclusion
Age-related changes in the hyoepiglottic ligament appear to be associated with aspiration, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, and acquired laryngomalacia in the elderly.
aDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
bDepartment of Pathology, Saga Medical School, Saga, Japan
cENT Surgery Center, Yuai-Kai Oda Hospital Kashima, Saga, Japan
Corresponding author. Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan. Tel.: +81 92 642 5668; fax: +81 92 5685.
☆ This work was presented in part at the AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on September 17–20, 2006.
ABSTRACT