2000 Volume 41 Issue 3 Pages 213-221
The author perf ormeo microsurgery of the larynx in 23 patients who complained of hoarseness caused by lesions as small as or smaller than the size of a “typical” nodule, The patients included six men and 17 women. Nineteen had a history of vocal abuse. Their lesions were classified as “typical” bilateral nodules in three patients, “ atypical” bilateral nodules in four, unilateral nodules in five, polyps in five, coexistence of nodule and polyp in three, cyst in two, and coexistence of polyp, nodule and polypoid change in the remainingone. Lesions in five patients were complicated by microvascular pathologies. Mean airflow rate in most patients was distributed within the normal range and did not show significant change after operation. By contrast, AC/DC ratio and acoustic measures (H/N ratio, jitter and shimmer) showed significant improvement after operation (p <0.05) . Detailed preoperative examination and meticulous manipulation during the operation is required bacause these tiny lesions are usually atypical and of more than two different kinds, and because they often occur in professional voice users.
