[Flexible fiberoptic in-office laryngeal biopsy]

In-office flexible transnasal Laryngeal biopsy is a reliable safe and easy to perform diagnostic procedure. We present a review of thirty procedures on twenty nine patients presented at our voice and swallowing clinic during the period March 2006 to January 2007. The mean age was 70 years (range 48 to 86 years). Twenty-six patients (89% had co-morbidities such as: ischemic heart disease, congestive heart failure, cerebrovascular disease and neurologicaL disorders. In 17 (57%) cases, the in-office transnasal laryngeal biopsy results saved the necessity to take the patient to the operating suite for diagnosis and was the only invasive intervention before recommendations of treatment were made. Out of 16 patients with Lesions suspected of being malignant, 82% were diagnosed as suffering from squamous cell carcinoma of the vocal cords. The time between referral of the patient and biopsy was short compared to the time needed to prepare patients to undergo biopsy under general anesthesia. There were no significant complications in this series. According to the authors' opinion, Laryngeal diagnostic procedures performed in the office with local anesthesia will replace the need for direct laryngoscopy in the operating room conducted only in order to provide a biopsy, except in special cases.