Verruca vulgaris of the larynx (VVL) is an extremely rare disease that can be easily misdiagnosed as papillary keratosis, squamous papilloma or verrucous carcinoma, which would have led to needless operation. We experienced a case of VVL in a 66-year-old man with 1-year history of progressive hoarseness. Whitish lesions in both vocal cords were observed by using indirect laryngoscopy and completely removed via microlaryngeal surgery with CO2 laser.
Aged ; Carcinoma, Verrucous ; Hoarseness ; Humans ; Keratosis ; Laryngoscopy ; Larynx ; Lasers, Gas ; Papilloma ; Papillomaviridae ; Rare Diseases ; Vocal Cords ; Warts*

Vocal cord polyps are generally removed using a direct laryngoscope and surgical microscope. In some case of laryngeal microsurgery, laryngeal exposure with surgical microscope is difficult because of severalfactors. We experienced a case of vocal polyp with difficult laryngeal exposure in a 56 year old male patient. The vocal cord polyp was removed successfully through endoscopic approach.
Endoscopy ; Humans ; Laryngoscopes ; Larynx ; Male ; Microsurgery ; Polyps* ; Vocal Cords*

A Killian-Jamieson diverticulum (KJD) is an unfamillar and unusual cervical esophageal diverticulum. This diverticulum originates on the anterolateral aspect of the esophagus through the Killian-Jamieson's area that is formed between cricopharyngeal muscle and the lateral to longitudinal esophageal muscle. Recently, we experienced a patient who was found outpouching lesion on lateral side of left esophagus on the duodenoscopy. Then, a barium esophagography performed and in left lateral position demonstrated a left-sided diverticulum with a frontal projection, highly suggestive of a KJD. There are two ways of surgical approach to manage the KJD. First is external approach, another one is endoscopic approach. In common, external approach has been recommended for the treatment of KJD because of concern of nerve injury. We present a case of KJD that underwent external approach and sternocleidomastoid muscle flap in the management of KJD.
Barium ; Diverticulum* ; Diverticulum, Esophageal ; Duodenoscopy ; Esophagus* ; Humans

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a connective tissue disease involving the larynx in 30% of the patients. Foreign body sensation, hoarseness, and cough are common symptoms in laryngeal involvement. An urgent tracheostomy is required when acute airway obstruction occurs in case of bilateral vocal fold paralysis. The most common cause of bilateral vocal fold paralysis in RA patients is a cricoarytenoid joint arthritis. Laryngeal nerve degeneration is rare cause of bilateral vocal fold paralysis in RA patients. In this case report, an emergent tracheostomy was performed on a 64-years-old male patient with acute dyspnea, and concurrent involvement of RA on laryngeal nerve and cricoarytenoid joint was revealed by laryngeal electromyography and histopathology. The vocal fold mobility was restored after 3-months medical treatment.
Airway Obstruction ; Arthritis ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Connective Tissue Diseases ; Cough ; Dyspnea ; Electromyography ; Foreign Bodies ; Hoarseness ; Humans ; Joints* ; Laryngeal Nerves* ; Larynx ; Male ; Paralysis* ; Sensation ; Tracheostomy ; Vocal Cords*

Rhabdomyosarcoma is an uncommon type of soft tissue malignant neoplasm characterized by undifferentiated mesodermal tissue. Sarcomas account for approximately 1% of all laryngeal neoplasm and rhabdomyosarcomas are the rarest sarcoma found in the larynx. When the sarcoma involves the larynx, radical surgery such as laryngectomy has been considered. With recent advances of combined therapy, however, it can be treated by conservative surgeries followed by postoperative radiotherapy and/or pulse chemotherapy. With reviews of literature, we report a 47-year-old patient complaining of husky voice and throat discomfort who was finally diagnosed as rhabdomyosarcoma of the vocal fold and successfully treated by laser cordectomy followed by adjuvant chemoradiotherapy.
Chemoradiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; Laryngectomy ; Larynx ; Mesoderm ; Middle Aged ; Pharynx ; Radiotherapy ; Rhabdomyosarcoma* ; Sarcoma ; Vocal Cords* ; Voice

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Microsurgical resection of intracordal cysts is technically difficult and challenging because the wall of cysts may be tightly attached to underlying vocal ligament and/or overlying epithelium, and therefore their thin wall will easily rupture during surgical dissection. We aimed to evaluate the voice outcomes of standard microflap subepithelial resection and the recurrence rate depending on the intraoperative rupturing of the cyst. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical records of Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea, were reviewed for sixty-four consecutive patients who received surgical resection of vocal cyst using microflap subepithelial dissection technique between the year 2004 and 2013. Meticulous dissection was performed to completely remove the cyst wall while preserving the mucosa and the lamina propria as much as possible. Voice outcomes and recurrence rates were compared according to the type, size and the intraoperative rupture of cyst. RESULTS: Presence or absence of cyst rupture was clearly described in the operation records of 41 patients. Intraoperative rupture of the cyst occurred in 32 of 41 (78%) patients. The recurrence was detected in 5 of 64 (7.8%) total cases and 4 of 32 (12.5%) cases of ruptured cyst, but not in 9 cases of intact extirpation. Rupture was more common in case of mucous retention cyst compared with epidermoid cyst (p=0.036). Subjective and objective voice parameters were measured at before and 3 months after surgery, which improved regardless of the cyst rupture. CONCLUSION: Although complete microsurgical extirpation of intracordal cyst while keeping the cyst wall intact is technically difficult, meticulous dissection with maximal preservation of surrounding tissue may warrant the improvement of voice outcomes.
Epidermal Cyst ; Epithelium ; Humans ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Mucous Membrane ; Recurrence ; Rupture ; Seoul ; Vocal Cords ; Voice

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The clinical reports for the treatment of vocal fold scar and sulcus vocalis are limited, also there is no best one for the treatment of them. This study is to evaluate the effect of Injection laryngoplasty (IL) for the treatment of vocal fold scar and sulcus vocalis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: from January 2013 to May 2015, the Nineteen patients who were diagnosed as vocal fold scar, sulcus and atrophy, and underwent IL, were engaged in this study. Clinical information and voice parameters were analyzed by retrospective chart review. Pre and post voice parameters were compared. RESULTS: Subgroups of diagnosis were classified into sulcus vocalis for 12 patients, vocal fold scar for 5, and atrophy for 2. IL was performed under local anesthesia through cricothyroid membrane except one patient. Atesense®, Radiessess®, and Rofilan® were used as injected materials in 9, 9, and 1 patients respectively. Maximal phonation time (p=0.0124), dynamic range (p=0.0028), pitch range (p=0.0141), voice handicap index (p=0.028), glottal closure (p=0.0229), and mucosal wave (p=0.0132) had significant improvement for post-IL voice assessment than Pre-IL. While GRBAS, Mean flow rate, Jitter, Shimmer, Harmony to Noise ratio didn't have improvement. CONCLUSION: IL is a feasible option for the treatment of glottis incompetence with normally mobile vocal folds such as sulcus vocalis and vocal fold scar.
Anesthesia, Local ; Atrophy ; Cicatrix* ; Diagnosis ; Glottis ; Humans ; Laryngoplasty* ; Membranes ; Noise ; Phonation ; Retrospective Studies ; Vocal Cords* ; Voice

An irritable larynx syndrome is characterized by a sudden episodic dyspnea and dysphonia that is difficult to diagnose, and patients are often treated unnecessarily and/or too much. A correct diagnosis can be made by monitoring the larynx closing in the reversed direction during inhalation and posterior chink with videolaryngoscopy and by measuring a decrease in air flow volume during inhalation with a lung function test. Patients can be effectively treated with thorough differential diagnosis. Medications targeting precipitating factors, physical therapy sessions to improve abnormal larynx movement, counseling to reduce patients'anxiety rising from dyspnea, and etc. can effectively alleviate symptoms.
Behavior Therapy ; Counseling ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Dysphonia ; Dyspnea* ; Humans ; Inhalation ; Larynx* ; Precipitating Factors ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Vocal Cord Dysfunction

Total laryngectomy remains as an important treatment option in selected patients with laryngopharyngeal cancers, which inevitably sacrifices naturally produced voice. Much effort has been devoted to voice restoration for these laryngectomized patients. Several ways of voice rehabilitation after total laryngectomy have been developed and utilized thus far, including tracheoesophageal shunt speech, esophageal speech, pneumatic speech aid, and electrolarynx. Of these, tracheoesophageal shunt speech appears to be the most effective voice restoration method, while other trials might also be useful in special situations. Nevertheless, each method has its own unique mechanisms of voice production, thus has its advantages and drawbacks in clinical setting. In this review, we discuss the currently available management options for the rehabilitation of laryngectomized voice.
Humans ; Laryngectomy* ; Methods ; Rehabilitation* ; Speech, Esophageal ; Voice*

Hoarseness is a postoperative complication of thyroidectomy, mostly due to damage to the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN). Hoarseness may also be brought about via vocal cord dysfunction (VCD) due to injury of the vocal cords from manipulations during anesthesia, as well as from psychogenic disorders and respiratory and upper-GI related infections. The clinician or surgeon should 1) document assessment of the patient's voice once a decision has been made to proceed with thyroid surgery ; 2) examine vocal fold mobility, or refer the patient to a clinician who can examine vocal fold mobility 3) examine vocal fold mobility, or refer the patient to a clinician who can examine vocal fold mobility, once a decision has been made to proceed with thyroid surgery 4) educate the patient about the potential impact of thyroid surgery on voice once a decision has been made to proceed with thyroid surgery ; 5) inform the anesthesiologist of the results of abnormal preoperative laryngeal assessment in patients who have had laryngoscopy prior to thyroid surgery ; 6) take steps to preserve the external branch of the surperior laryngeal nerve(s) when performing thyroid surgery ; 7) document whether there has been a change in voice between 2 weeks and 2 months following thyroid surgery ; 8) examine vocal fold mobility or refer the patient for examination of vocal fold mobility in patients with a change in voice following thyroid surgery ; 9) refer a patient to an otolaryngologist when abnormal vocal fold mobility is identified after thyroid surgery ; 10) counsel patients with voice change or abnormal vocal fold mobility after thyroid surgery on options for voice rehabilitation.
Anesthesia ; Dysphonia* ; Hoarseness ; Humans ; Laryngeal Nerves ; Laryngoscopy ; Postoperative Complications ; Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve ; Rehabilitation ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroidectomy ; Vocal Cord Dysfunction ; Vocal Cords ; Voice*