Differences between flexible and rigid endoscopy in assessing the posterior glottic chink.

Area of Science:

• Laryngology
• Vocal fold anatomy
• Diagnostic imaging

Background:

• The posterior glottic chink (PGC) is a laryngeal space observed during glottic closure.
• It is reportedly more common in females than males.
• This study investigates PGC prevalence and detection differences across examination modalities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the assessment of the posterior glottic chink (PGC) using flexible nasopharyngolaryngoscopy (FNPL) versus rigid laryngoscopy (RL).
• To determine if the prevalence of PGC differs between genders.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 104 laryngeal examinations (52 included).
• Patients underwent both flexible laryngoscopy (FL) and rigid laryngoscopy (RL).
• Posterior glottic configuration was graded using the Posterior Glottic Closure Score (PGCS) (0-4).

Main Results:

• Females showed a higher prevalence and larger PGCS than males on RL.
• RL detected PGC more frequently in males compared to FL.
• PGCS was significantly higher with RL than FL in females.

Conclusions:

• Gender influences PGC prevalence and size, with females exhibiting a more prominent PGC.
• Laryngeal examination modality affects PGC detection rates, particularly in males.
• Age correlates with glottic closure, with older individuals showing more complete closure.