An indirect laryngoscopy can help find the cause of swallowing problems, pain with swallowing, or a long-term hoarse voice. It can also help identify problems with your vocal cords or reflux (backflow) of stomach contents into your throat. An indirect laryngoscopy helps your healthcare provider diagnose your condition and create a treatment plan.
What is direct and indirect laryngoscopy?
Direct laryngoscopy is the method currently used for tracheal intubation in children. It occasionally offers unexpectedly poor laryngeal views. Indirect laryngoscopy involves visualizing the vocal cords by means other than obtaining a direct sight, with the potential to improve outcomes.
What is the use of indirect laryngoscopy?
An indirect laryngoscopy can help find the cause of swallowing problems, pain with swallowing, or a long-term hoarse voice. It can also help identify problems with your vocal cords or reflux (backflow) of stomach contents into your throat.
Why is it called indirect laryngoscopy?
Indirect laryngoscopy refers to visualization of the larynx with the patient sitting in a chair, by using a mirror, fiberscope, videoendoscope, or laryngeal telescope more in the manner of a perisocope that “looks around the corner” – in this case, the base of the tongue.
What Cannot be seen by indirect laryngoscopy?
Subtle lesions are likely not to be detected, and vocal fold vibration cannot be seen with indirect laryngoscopy. Because of the unnatural position of the patient during the examination and the restraining of the patient's tongue, only very simple vocalizing can be evaluated with indirect laryngoscopy.
Is indirect laryngoscopy painful?
Indirect laryngoscopy You may feel like gagging when the mirror is placed in your throat. It may be uncomfortable when the doctor pulls on your tongue. If this becomes painful, signal your doctor by pointing to your tongue, since you will not be able to speak. If a spray anesthetic is used, it will taste bitter.
Is an indirect laryngoscopy effective?
Direct and indirect laryngoscopies were only effective in 76 and 73%, respectively, of the patients, whereas flexible laryngoscopy was effective in 99.6% of them. Flexible laryngoscopy was easy to perform in 96.5% of the patients versus 65 and 55% with direct and indirect laryngoscopies.
How do you prepare for a laryngoscopy?
Preparing for the procedure Do not eat or drink for 8 hours before the procedure. Rigid laryngoscopy is done with a general anesthetic. Be sure you have someone to take you home. Anesthesia and pain medicine will make it unsafe for you to drive or get home on your own.
How long does a laryngoscopy take?
Indirect laryngoscopy and flexible laryngoscopies often are done in the doctor's office. They usually take only 5 to 10 minutes.
Are you awake during a laryngoscopy?
You are awake for the procedure. Numbing medicine will be sprayed in your nose. This procedure typically takes less than 1 minute. Laryngoscopy using strobe light can also be done.
How do you feel after a laryngoscopy?
After the procedure, you may have some nausea and general muscle aches and may feel tired for 1 to 2 days. Your throat may feel sore or slightly swollen for 2 to 5 days. You may sound hoarse for 1 to 8 weeks, depending on what was done during the procedure.
Can you talk after a laryngoscopy?
Your doctor may ask you to speak as little as you can for 1 to 2 weeks after the procedure. If you speak, use your normal tone of voice and do not talk for very long. Whispering or shouting can strain your vocal cords as they are trying to heal. Try to avoid coughing or clearing your throat while your throat heals.
Is laryngoscopy a surgery?
You may have your laryngoscopy in a clinic office or as a surgical procedure. For example, your provider may decide you should have a surgical laryngoscopy in an operating room. This is a direct laryngoscopy. Providers typically do direct laryngoscopies following in-office flexible laryngoscopies.
What is laryngoscope and its uses?
Direct laryngoscopy uses a tube called a laryngoscope. The instrument is placed in the back of your throat. The tube may be flexible or stiff. This procedure allows the doctor to see deeper in the throat and to remove a foreign object or sample tissue for a biopsy.
Which laryngoscope is most commonly used?
Equipment. The most common laryngoscope blade used for intubation in adults is the curved Macintosh blade (Figure 34-4). This is inserted into the right side of the mouth to displace the tongue laterally.
What does a laryngoscopy show?
Laryngoscopy is when a doctor uses a special camera to look down the throat to see the voice box (larynx) and vocal cords. Ear, nose, and throat specialists (also called ENT doctors or otolaryngologists) do laryngoscopies.
Which mirror is used in indirect laryngoscopy?
Indirect laryngoscopy traditionally entails the use of both a head mirror and laryngeal mirror. It is the first and most basic successful technique for viewing the larynx, and arguably remains the most commonly used diagnostic method for laryngoscopy today.
What is indirect laryngoscopy?
Indirect laryngoscopy is the simplest way to examine the hypopharynx and larynx because it does not require special equipment, other than a light source, a head mirror, and a dental mirror, to perform the examination. Indirect laryngoscopy is, therefore, also exceedingly cost effective because it does not require expensive equipment. It is indicated in any patient with symptoms referable to the throat such as dysphagia, globus sensation, and hoarseness. Indirect laryngoscopy is a good choice for the initial examination of the hypopharynx in all patients presenting to the otolaryngologist. It allows an evaluation of hypopharyngeal anatomy, mucosal color, and vocal fold movement. Indirect laryngoscopy uses incandescent light, which has the advantage of minimizing color distortion so that the assessment of tissue color is reliable.
What is the position of the patient during indirect laryngoscopy?
Fig. 4.3 (A) Optimal patient positioning for indirect laryngoscopy. Note head of the patient is positioned forward in a “sniffing” position. This moves the base of the tongue anterior to the larynx, improving a full view of the larynx. (B) Patient positioning during indirect laryngoscopy. The patient may need to bring his or her back off the backrest of the exam chair. (C) The anterior positioning of the head positions the jaw and tongue anterior to the larynx.
How to see vocal folds?
By angling the dental mirror back and forth, the larynx can often be viewed at this point in the examination. Asking the patient to say “EEEE” will also improve the ability to see the larynx. This maneuver elevates the larynx, depresses the tongue base, and brings the vocal folds together. It is important, however, to attempt to see the vocal folds while they are open, such as during respiration, as well, because lesions on the medial and undersurface of the vocal folds may be missed if the folds are only viewed during adduction.
Where is the light source for indirect laryngoscopy?
The light source used for indirect laryngoscopy is typically placed to the right of the patient’s head and directed toward a head mirror worn by the examiner. The head mirror reflects the light onto the dental mirror held in the patient’s mouth. (Alternatively, the examiner can wear a headlight and forego the external light source and head mirror.) A small hole in the center of the head mirror allows binocular vision as the examiner looks through the hole with the left eye ( Fig. 4.1 ). The head mirror should be placed as close to the eye as possible ( Fig. 4.2 ). The head mirror is designed to focus the light at a convenient working distance. The position of the light source and the angle of the head mirror can be adjusted to focus the light onto the posterior pharynx properly.
Can a tongue blade be used for indirect laryngoscopy?
Using tongue blades to hold the cheeks open, the posterior pharynx can be initially examined. This allows the examiner to make any minor adjustments of the light source and head mirror needed prior to beginning the indirect laryngoscopy. It also allows for an inspection of pharyngeal structures that will impact the ability to perform the examination such as size of tongue base, length of the soft palate, jaw opening, and so forth. It provides an opportunity to reassure the patient and prepare him or her for the indirect exam.
Can indirect laryngoscopy be used for vocalization?
Because of the unnatural position of the patient during the examination and the restraining of the patient’s tongue, only very simple vocalizing can be evaluated with indirect laryngoscopy. The technique does not allow assessment during connected speech. This means that functional abnormalities are likely to be missed with indirect laryngoscopy alone.
Is indirect laryngoscopy reliable?
In conclusion, indirect laryngoscopy is a long-established technique for laryngeal examination that is inexpensive and reliable in terms of tissue color assessment. It is limited by the technical skill required to achieve adequate examination, the patient’s ability to cooperate with the examination, the inability to view vocal fold vibration, and the lack of documentation.
laryngoscopy
Visual examination of the interior of the voice box (the larynx) to determine the cause of hoarseness, obtain cultures, remove a foreign body, manage the upper airway, or take biopsies of potentially malignant lesions.
Patient care
Short-acting intravenous sedation or anesthesia is administered along with oxygen. Vital signs and cardiac status are monitored throughout the procedure. After the procedure, the patient is placed in the semi-Fowler position, and vital signs are monitored until stable.
CAUTION!
1. Visualization of the larynx isassociated with aerosolization ofupper airway secretions. Standard precautions and droplet precautions are required during the procedure to limit the spread of infectious diseases such as severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (SARS) or tuberculosis. 2.
How to use indirect laryngoscopy?
For an indirect laryngoscopy, the doctor aims a light at the back of the throat, usually by wearing headgear that has a bright light attached, and uses a small, tilted mirror held at the back of the throat to see the vocal cords. Here we’ll focus on direct laryngoscopy.
How long does it take for a laryngoscopy to work?
This will stop as the numbing drug begins to work. Flexible laryngoscopy might only take about 10 minutes, but other types of laryngoscopy might take longer, depending on what’s being done.
What is the best way to treat vocal cord cancer?
To treat some problems in the voice box (including some early cancers) Laryngoscopy can be used to treat some problems in the vocal cords or throat. For example, long, thin instruments can be passed down the laryngoscope to remove small growths (tumors or polyps) on the vocal cords. A small laser on the end of a laryngoscope can also be used ...
What are the risks of laryngoscopy?
Laryngoscopy is usually safe, but there is a small risk of: 1 Reactions to anesthesia 2 Bleeding in the throat 3 Infection 4 Hoarseness
What is the test for throat pain?
Laryngoscopy can also be used to get a better look at an abnormal area seen on an imaging test (such as a CT scan).
Can you stay overnight in a hospital for a laryngoscopy?
Laryngoscopy can usually be done as an outpatient procedure (where you don’t need to stay overnight in a hospital).
Is laryngoscopy safe?
Laryngoscopy is usually safe, but there is a small risk of:
How long does it take to gag with a laryngoscopy?
Many doctors now do this kind, sometimes called flexible laryngoscopy. They use a small telescope at the end of a cable, which goes up your nose and down into your throat. It takes less than 10 minutes.
What are the complications of laryngoscopy?
It’s rare to have problems after a laryngoscopy, but it can still happen. Some of these complications include: 1 Pain or swelling in the mouth, tongue, or throat 2 Bleeding 3 Hoarseness 4 Gagging or vomiting 5 Infection
What is the procedure called when you have a cough?
What Is Laryngoscopy ? Doctors sometimes use a small device to look into your throat and larynx, or voice box. This procedure is called laryngoscopy. They may do this to figure out why you have a cough or sore throat, to find and remove something that’s stuck in there, or to take samples of your tissue to look at later.
What is the tool that doctors use to help you breathe?
When doctors need to look into your larynx and other nearby parts of your throat or put a tube into your windpipe to help you breathe, they use a small hand tool called a laryngoscope. Modern versions of the tool often include a small video camera.
What is the procedure to open your nasal passages?
Sometimes a decongestant is used to open your nasal passages as well. Gagging is a common reaction with this procedure as well. Direct laryngoscopy. This is the most involved type. Your doctor uses a laryngoscope to push down your tongue and lift up the epiglottis. That’s the flap of cartilage that covers your windpipe.
How long does it take to see a doctor in the mirror?
The doctor shines a light into your mouth to see the image in the mirror. It can be done in a doctor’s office in just 5 to 10 minutes.
How does a doctor look at your throat?
This is the simplest form. Your doctor uses a small mirror and a light to look into your throat. The mirror is on a long handle, like the kind a dentist often uses, and it’s placed against the roof of your mouth. The doctor shines a light into your mouth to see the image in the mirror.
