A laryngoscopy is a medical procedure where a doctor examines the voice box and vocal cords using a laryngoscope. There are two types of procedures, indirect and direct, with varying levels of discomfort and sedation. The direct rigid procedure is the most serious and requires general anesthesia.
A laryngoscopy is a procedure in which a doctor uses a laryngoscope, a long, narrow instrument with a light on one end, to examine your voice box and vocal cords. The larynx, also known as the voice box, is an organ that sits between the tongue and the trachea, the tube that draws oxygen into the body. The vocal cords are membrane tissues that line the larynx and produce noise through vibration. An examination of these organs may need to be done to determine the cause of any sore throat or difficulty speaking. There are two categories of procedure: indirect or direct, and a patient’s experience can vary widely depending on which type she has performed.
Indirect laryngoscopy is performed by a doctor holding a small mirror near the throat while the patient’s mouth is open to view the throat. The doctor wears a headdress with a mirror and light to reflect the view of the throat in order to get the clearest view possible. This version of the procedure is usually short and takes about ten minutes.
Because the laryngoscope is inserted down the throat, it can cause gagging. To prevent this, a doctor may apply a spray anesthetic to relax and numb the throat. To visualize the throat, the doctor may hold the tongue, which can be uncomfortable for some patients. Because the throat is blocked with the endoscope inserted and the tongue is held back, verbal communication can be difficult, so the doctor may advise a patient to make a movement to indicate any pain or other problems.
The most common type of procedure is a direct laryngoscopy. There are two possible ways it can be done: a flexible or a rigid procedure. During a flexible directed procedure, your doctor uses a flexible laryngoscope that is placed into your nose and then out your throat. A straight rigid procedure uses a rigid laryngoscope that is inserted into the mouth and throat while the patient is sedated. This version tends to be implemented in cases where a foreign object is obscuring the throat. Both the flexible and rigid direct exams take approximately 30 minutes.
A direct flexible laryngoscopy typically only requires the use of a spray anesthetic to numb the inside of the nose and throat to reduce any discomfort from inserting the laryngoscope. Some patients may experience apprehension from having an object inserted into their nose, but it is generally not painful, particularly if a numbing spray is used.
The most serious of the types of procedure tends to be the direct rigid version. During this procedure, the patient is fully sedated with general anesthesia and then sleeps throughout. An ice pack may be placed on the throat to prevent the area from swelling due to insertion of the rigid laryngoscope. Patients having this procedure generally will need to be supervised afterward until the doctor knows that patients can swallow safely and are not having any adverse reactions to anesthesia.
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