Endoscopy Procedure

A transnasal flexible laryngoscope is a useful for office-based diagnostic tool. This office examination is extremely well tolerated and performed in patients of all ages. This can even be performed on newborns, if medically required. Prior to passing the scope, the patient’s nose is decongested and anesthetized with topical sprays that do not sting or burn. The patient then sits in an upright position and the scope is passed along the floor of the nose into the back of the throat to a level just above the vocal cords. At this point the patient is asked to breath deeply and phonate, allowing the physician to directly observe the structure and dynamic motion of the true and false vocal cords. There are no lasting side effects to this procedure and the anesthetic spray wears off over the ensuing 1-2 hours.
Common reasons for performing this procedure during your visit include hoarseness, suspected vocal fold lesions, chronic shortness of breath, difficulty or inability to swallow, longstanding history of smoking, the need for postoperative visualization or tumor surveillance, and inability to otherwise visualize the vocal cords during the exam.

Common reasons for performing this procedure during your visit include nasal airway obstruction, suspected acute or chronic sinusitis, nasal/facial pain, altered sense of smell, and nosebleeds.