By Prof. Dr. Mohammad Salehuddin Sayed
Abstract:
Endoscopes either rigid or flexible are becoming an
important diagnostic as well as post- operative follow up tool
for detection and management of cancers in upper aero
digestive tract. This allows the larynx and/ pharynx to be
examined in greater detail. A retrospective study of hundred
and fifty (150) cases of laryngeal carcinoma in three (03)
tertiary care hospitals over a period of six months, both
government and private, were included in our study. The
objective of this study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy,
disease progression, post -operative/ chemo-radiotherapy
follow up, recurrence assessment and the cost of rigid and
flexible endoscopy as well as patient’s compliance in the
evaluation of upper aero-digestive tract growth. Hundred and
six (106) cases with hoarseness of voice, thirty (30) cases with
dysphagia, seventeen (17) cases with neck mass and seven (7)
cases with globus sensation were diagnosed with laryngeal
carcinoma. Visualization of larynx with 0, 30 and 70 degree
telescope were more precise than flexible endoscope. Nasal
irritation, bleeding, difficulties of introduction of flexible endoscopes could have been overcome by rigid endoscopes.
The average cost of rigid telescope was much lower than
flexible endoscopes. The choice of instrument must be dictated
by the comfort level of the physician oncologists in particular,
so that an appropriate examination or procedure can be
performed with the least risk and suffering to the patients.