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Objectives: An office-based workup strategy for patients with laryngopharyngeal lesions suspicious for carcinoma is analyzed. The feasibility of office-based transnasal flexible endoscopic biopsies under local anesthesia and the impact on the diagnostic workup are evaluated. Methods: This study is a prospective analysis of patients with laryngeal, oropharyngeal, and hypopharyngeal lesions suspicious for carcinoma. One hundred eighty-eight participants were divided into 2 groups. The first group underwent an office-based biopsy procedure under local anesthesia using a flexible digital video laryngoscope with instrument channel (n = 53), and the second group underwent a biopsy procedure under general anesthesia using rigid laryngopharyngoscopy (n = 135). Results: Office-based flexible endoscopic biopsies were tolerated well, and there were no complications. These biopsies were 92.5% successful in acquiring a definitive diagnosis. Costs were reduced. Diagnostic workup time and time until start of therapy were reduced to 2 days and 27 days, respectively. Conclusion: Office-based biopsy under local anesthesia using flexible digital video laryngoscopy is safe, cost-effective, and successful in providing a histopathological diagnosis. It reduces the diagnostic workup time significantly in patients with laryngeal, oropharyngeal, and hypopharyngeal cancer, while also reducing the necessity to subsequently perform a rigid laryngopharyngoscopy under general anesthesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Microlaryngoscopy is the preferred and most widely used technique in phonosurgery for the treatment of benign and early malignant glottic lesions. However, the procedure may be technically difficult or impossible due to alterations of the cervical spine that may not allow hyperextension of the head or may present general anesthesia contraindications. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of our surgical approach for lesions of the vocal folds in patients who are not suitable for phonosurgery by microlaryngoscopy. This approach applies videolaryngoscopy during conscious sedation, which combines local anesthesia with moderate analgosedation by using midazolam and fentanyl with premedication.Methods: A total of 235 patients affected by benign diseases or suspicious cancerous lesions of the vocal folds were retrospectively evaluated.Results: The method has shown a success rate of 95.5, 89, 52.3, and 86.7% in cases of polyps of the vocal folds, Reinke's edema, cysts of the vocal folds, and suspicious lesions of the larynx, respectively. Only 3 patients (1.27%) have been reported to experience adverse events.Conclusion: The results suggest that the method is an effective and safe procedure without relevant local and/or general complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Study Aims: Narrow band imaging (NBI) combined with magnifying endoscopy enables us to detect superficial laryngo-pharyngeal cancers, which are difficult to detect by standard endoscopy. Endoscopic laryngo-pharyngeal surgery (ELPS) is a technique developed to treat such lesions and the purpose of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of ELPS for superficial laryngo-pharyngeal cancer.Patients and Methods: Seventy five consecutive patients with 104 fresh superficial laryngo-pharyngeal cancers are included in this study. Under general anesthesia, a specially-designed curved laryngoscope was inserted to create a working space in the pharyngeal lumen. A magnifying endoscope was inserted transorally to visualize the field and a head & neck surgeon dissected the lesion using the combination of the orally-inserted curved grasping forceps and electrosurgical needle knife in both hands. The safely, functional outcomes, and oncologic outcomes of ELPS were evaluated retrospectively.Results: Median operation time per lesion was 35 min. Post-operative bleeding occurred in 3 cases and temporal subcutaneous emphysema occurred in 10 cases. No vocal fold impairment occurred after surgery. The median fasting period was 2 days and all patients except one have a normal diet with no limitations. Local recurrence occurred in 1 case, and the 3-year overall survival rate and the 3-year disease specific survival rate was 90% and 100%, respectively.Conclusions: ELPS is a hybrid of head and neck surgery and gastrointestinal endoscopic treatment, and enjoys the merit of both procedures. ELPS makes it possible to perform minimally-invasive surgery, preserving both the swallowing and phonation functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipoma of the larynx is quite a rare pathology. This paper describes a successful treatment of a 37-year- old male patient with large (approximately 2.8x2cm) symptomatic laryngeal lipoma using fibroendoscopic approach. A complete diathermoexcision of the tumor was performed by polypectomy snare, introduced through the working channel offiberbronchoscope, under the local anesthesia. A follow-up exam performed 5 years and 10 months later didn't reveal any evidence of the tumor. The method of treatment is proposed as a cost-effective option for selected cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]