OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical shapes of vocal cord polyps and their pathological features.

METHODSThe laryngoscopic photographs of 156 patients with vocal cord polyps were reviewed. All patients received phonomicrosurgery. Eighty eight males and 68 females were included. Their ages ranged from 14 to 76 years (median 43.0 years). The clinical courses of the diseases were 1 to 132 months (median 6.5 months). There were 57 cases with right vocal cord polyps, 61 cases with left vocal cord polyps, 38 cases with bilateral vocal cord polyps. The vocal cord polyps with pedicles were found in 27 cases, without pedicles in 129 cases. The specimens of the vocal cord polyps were fixed in formalin solution and embedded in paraffin. Sections were cut, stained with HE method, and observed under light microscope.

RESULTSThe vocal cord polyps were classified into 5 types according to the clinical shapes of vocal cord polyps and their pathological features: edematous type in 70 cases (44.9%), vascular type in 49 cases (31.4%), fibrous type in 15 cases (9.6%), hemorrhagic or thrombotic type in 13 cases (8.3%), and amyloid type in 9 cases (5.8%). The clinical courses among the five types of vocal cord polyps had no statistic significance (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe classification of the vocal cord polyp according to the clinical shapes of vocal cord polyps has clinical significance for the treatment. Some vocal cord polyps of edematous type, vascular type and hemorrhagic type can be cured with voice therapy. The vocal cord polyps of fibrous type and amyloid type need treatment with phonomicrosurgery. The differentiation diagnosis between amyloid type vocal cord polyps and vocal cord carcinoma should be made.