A novel animal model of dysphagia simulating epiglottis resection

Abstract To establish an animal model simulating dysphagia after epiglottectomy, forty-five 5-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: a control group (anesthetized without surgery), a nerve injury group (recurrent laryngeal nerve sectioned), and an epiglottectomy group (epiglottis cartilage removed). One week post-procedure, the rats were fed water containing bromophenol blue, and daily measurements of body weight and food intake were recorded. Following the experimental period, the rats were dissected, blood samples were collected, and major organ coefficients were analyzed. Pulmonary tissues were examined histopathologically, and the expression levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in lung tissues, venous serum, and lung homogenates were determined using RT-qPCR and ELISA. Results indicated that food intake and body weight in the epiglottectomy group were significantly lower than those in the control group and nerve injury group (p < 0.01). Histopathological examination revealed that the lung tissue damage scores in the epiglottectomy group were significantly higher than those in the control group (p < 0.01), indicating more severe damage. Additionally, ELISA results showed that TNF-α levels in the epiglottectomy group were significantly higher than those in the control and nerve injury groups (p < 0.01, p < 0.05), suggesting an enhanced inflammatory response. These findings highlight the potential application of the epiglottectomy model in simulating organ-specific dysphagia and its associated complications, providing valuable insights for future clinical treatment.