Laryngeal surgery

The symptoms of laryngeal diseases can occur individually or in combination. These include persistent or worsening hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, breathing problems, earache, a sensation of a lump in the throat or coughing up blood. These symptoms may indicate laryngeal cancer.

In most cases, however, harmless changes to the vocal folds are present when patients suffer from hoarseness. Vocal fold nodules or so-called Reinke’s edema, a swelling of the vocal folds, are often the cause of permanent hoarseness.

However, if the patient has also consumed alcohol and nicotine for many years, the suspicion of laryngeal cancer is supported. If hoarseness persists for more than 4 weeks, it should be clarified by an ear, nose and throat specialist.

This clarification is carried out in the practice. Occasionally, further clarifications are necessary, such as taking a tissue sample from the vocal folds under anesthesia or microscopically controlled removal of a swelling on the vocal folds. In this case, an examination of the larynx under the microscope (microlaryngoscopy) under anesthesia is recommended, with or without tissue sampling. We usually perform this procedure as an inpatient because the vocal folds can swell in the post-operative phase and reliable monitoring of the patient is required.