Flexible Laryngoscopic Findings of Patients with Hoarseness

Abstract

Background:

With increasing stress due to day life, rising level of pollution and changing habit and life styles hoarseness and voice disorders are becoming more and more prevalent (1).

Aims:

1- To emphasize the role of flexible laryngoscopy in diagnosis of hoarseness.

2- To determine the incidence of different causes of hoarseness in patients presented to ENT department in Al-Karkh General Hospital.

Patients and Methods:

During the period from November 2018 to November 2019 (100) patients aged between 3-70 years presented with hoarseness were seen in ENT department in Al-Karkh General Hospital. Flexible laryngoscopy was done for all these patients in whom indirect laryngoscopy was unsatisfactory. Only (37) patients required subsequent direct laryngoscopy.

Results:

Out of total number of patients (100), the data were collected and analyzed according to sex , age, duration of hoarseness, associated symptoms and clinical finding on flexible laryngoscopy (54) male ,(46) female , (25%) had squamous cell carcinoma (S.cc) of larynx, (20%) vocal cord palsy, (16%) vocal cord polyp, (12%) vocal cord nodule, (5%) Renkine's edema, (10%) chronic non-specific laryngitis, (4%) acute laryngitis, (6%) function dysphonic, (1%) V.C. papillomatosis, (1%) V.C. webs.

Conclusions:

• The use of flexible laryngoscopy proved to be of great value in diagnosis of hoarseness and examination of larynx.


• Squamous cell carcinoma constituting the majority of cases with hoarseness in elderly patients.


• Gastroesophageal reflux disease GERD is an important predisposing factor. In chronic nonspecific laryngitis, vocal cord polyp, nodule and functional dysphonia.