[Vascular architecture of the vocal cord surfaces. A fluorescence angiography study]

The study reported in this paper was devoted to investigating whether there are differences in the superficial vascularisation of the vocal cords compared with surrounding respiratory mucosa (e.g. false cords). The in-vivo technique employed was fluoresceine angiography. In full agreement with findings in anatomic preparations there was a fine vascular network, consisting of straight vessels running parallel to the surface of the vocal cords in dorsal-ventral direction. In contrast, the superficial vascular pattern of the false cords or other areas of the upper respiratory tract did not follow a linear pattern. Our findings may form the basis for further in-vivo studies of blood vessels in pathological alterations of the vocal cords.