What Is a Throat Polyp?

Polyps are the most common pseudotumor of the larynx. More men than women, more common in young adults. Polyps occur in the front 1/3 and middle 1/3 of the free vocal cord. Other parts of the larynx (such as false vocal cords, larynx, intersacral cartilage notches, small-angle nodules, and subglottic cavity) can also occur, but the incidence is low.

Basic Information

English name

laryngeal polypus

Visiting department

ENT

Multiple groups

Young male

Common locations

Anterior 1/3 and middle 1/3 of free vocal cord

Common causes

Caused by Reneck's edema

Common symptoms

Light: intermittent hoarseness, easy fatigue, rough timbre, difficult to treble; heavy: husky or even loss of sound

Causes of laryngeal polyps

It is generally believed that vocal cord polyps are mostly caused by Renker's edema. Edema often occurs due to improper vocalization, excessive vocalization, and vocal cords are often damaged by friction with each other, causing sudden submucosal bleeding when force is exerted. Smoking, industrial dust or chemical gas chronic irritation, inflammation, and allergies make the Renk's layer Venous plexus congestion, edema, hemorrhage, and thrombosis occur, beginning with a polyp-like change and followed by fibrous tissue hyperplasia. Other studies have suggested that factors such as local circulatory disturbance of the vocal cords, reduced superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the vocal cord mucosa, compensatory changes due to insufficiency of the glottis, abnormal local anatomy, and autonomic dysfunction.

Clinical manifestations of laryngeal polyps

The main symptom is hoarseness. Due to the different size, shape and location of vocal cord polyps, the sound quality changes and the degree of hoarseness varies. The lighter is intermittent hoarseness, easy to fatigue, rough timbre, difficult to treble, heavy, hoarse or even lost voice. Large polyps located between the vocal cords on both sides can completely lose sound and even cause breathing difficulties and wheezing. Polyps hanging in the subglottic cavity can cause cough due to irritation.

Laryngeal Polyp Examination

Laryngoscopy showed that the vocal cords had a smooth, semi-transparent pedicled or non-pedicled new creature before the free margin. Polyps are usually off-white or pale red, with occasional fuchsia, often the size of mung beans and soya beans. Vocal cord polyps are more common on one side, and can occur on both sides simultaneously. The pedicled vocal cord polyp can move up and down with the breathing airflow, sometimes hidden in the subglottic cavity, which is easy to ignore during inspection. Under the laryngeal dynamic microscope, the periodicity of the vocal cords is poor, the symmetry, amplitude, and mucosal waves are weakened or disappeared, and the closed phase of vibration is weakened.

Diagnosis of laryngeal polyps

According to the symptoms, local diagnosis is not difficult. If the vocal cords are not clear, a fiber vocal cordoscope or an electronic laryngoscope can be added. The diagnosis of vocal cord polyps should be distinguished from vocal cord cysts, vocal cord white shifts, sticky secretions from vocal cords, and vocal cord cancer. The diagnosis still depends on pathological examination.

Laryngeal Polyp Treatment

Surgical resection is the main method, which can be supplemented with glucocorticoids, antibiotics, and ultrasonic nebulization. Pedicle-exposed pedicled polyps can be removed by indirect laryngoscopy. Polypectomy can be performed by video fiber laryngoscope if the polyp is small or pedicled and is no longer associated. Those who have the condition can choose general anesthesia endotracheal intubation to remove polyps by supporting laryngoscope microscopy or laser microscopy.