What is a microlaryngoscopy and how is it done?
Examination of the voicebox can be done with a flexible scope passed through the nose in the office or in the operating room with a rigid scope passed through the mouth. Each has its strengths and weaknesses. While office evaluations are good at evaluating most forms of hoaresenss, rigid examination allows a better, more magnified view of most vocal cord abnormalities and is required to treat them. Treatment of vocal cord growths, swallowing problems, or voicebox masses are best evaluated by rigid examination. Flexible voice box examination (laryngoscopy) is done in the office with topical anesthesia. It usually is done with the patient sitting upright, and takes approximately 1 minute. Risks for this are minimal, with the most common being a low chance of a nosebleed. Rigid laryngoscopy is done in the operating room with the patient asleep with a mask. A toothguard is placed across the upper teeth and a metal scope is passed through the mouth down to view the voicebox. Microscopes and
