Abstract
Objective: The aim of the study was to characterize common laryngeal conditions in patients referred to videolaryngoscopy in the otorhinolaryngology department of a reference tertiary hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Method: Patients’ records from a database of laryngeal endoscopic records from January 2000 to January 2010 were reviewed for the diagnosis of the common conditions: vocal paralysis/paresis, laryngopharyngeal reflux, laryngotracheal stenosis and, benign or malignant neoplasms, including papilloma and laryngeal dystonia/spasmodic dysphonia. Patients’ age, gender, profession, and smoking status were analyzed.
Results: A total of 3755 patient records were analyzed. Median age was 56 years (IQR 45-66). The majority of patients was female (63.7%). Smoking habits were reported by 23.6% of patients. Voice professionals accounted for 10.9% of all patients. The most common condition found was benign/malignant neoplasms, which accounted for 15.5% of all the diagnoses, followed by laryngopharyngeal reflux (13.8%) and vocal cord and laryngeal paralysis (6.4%). Other disorders accounted for the remainder of diagnoses.
Conclusion: Benign and malignant neoplasm was the most common diagnosis found, accounting for 15.5% of the disorders diagnosed. Prompt diagnosis and treatment is essential for improved patient prognosis. Smoking was also found in a high number of patients. Smoking cessation programs should work closely with otorhinolaryngology services.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.