[Correlation of clinical findings and histologic types in epithelial hyperplasia of the vocal fold]

A series of 60 cases (85 vocal folds) with epithelial hyperplasia of the vocal fold were statistically analysed between the clinical findings and histologic types to identify the significant factors predicting the presence or absence of atypia in the lesion. The factors of age, sex, appearance of the lesion, extent of the lesion and degree of limitation of vocal fold vibration showed significance and therefore were scored respectively for further analysis from -1 to +1 according to the possibility of atypia from low to high. More than half of the group without atypia had total score of 0 or less, while more than half of the group with atypia had total score of +4 or more. The difference between two groups was significantly high (p less than 0.01). This results showed that if total score was 0 or less the possibility of atypia was very low and conservative treatment including discontinuation of smoking and follow-up can be conducted, whereas if total score was +4 or more the possibility of atypia was very high and a proper biopsy followed by laser surgery is indicated.