Laryngoscopy in Sharjah

What is laryngoscopy?

Laryngoscopy means looking directly at the larynx, the voice box that sits at the top of the windpipe and holds the vocal cords. It also gives a view of the back of the nose, the back of the tongue, the tonsil area and the entrance to the food pipe.

There are two main forms. The one most patients have is flexible nasendoscopy: an ENT surgeon passes a slim, bendable camera through one nostril and down behind the palate while you sit upright and awake. The second is a rigid laryngoscopy, sometimes called microlaryngoscopy, carried out in theatre under general anaesthetic so the surgeon can examine the vocal cords under magnification, take a small tissue sample (biopsy) or remove a small growth.

At Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah, flexible laryngoscopy is part of the ENT clinic assessment, and rigid laryngoscopy is arranged as a day-case procedure when it is needed.

Who needs it

Your ENT surgeon may suggest laryngoscopy for:

• A hoarse, weak or strained voice that has lasted several weeks
• A feeling of a lump in the throat, frequent throat clearing or a persistent cough
• Discomfort or difficulty when swallowing, or food sticking
• Noisy breathing, or a throat problem that returns after treatment
• A neck lump, where a view of the throat is part of the work-up
• Suspected reflux affecting the throat, which often happens without heartburn

Heavy voice users such as teachers, call-centre staff, imams, singers and fitness instructors are among the most frequent visitors, alongside smokers and people who use shisha.

The camera test in clinic answers most questions. Your surgeon recommends a rigid laryngoscopy under anaesthetic when a patch or growth needs a biopsy, when a nodule, polyp or cyst is suitable for removal, or when the area needs a longer, steadier look than an awake examination allows. The choice between watching, voice therapy, medicines and a procedure is talked through with you at the appointment.

What happens

For flexible laryngoscopy you sit in the examination chair. A numbing and decongesting spray is applied to the nose, and sometimes to the throat, and takes a short while to work. The surgeon then passes the camera along the floor of the nose. Most people describe the sensation as odd or ticklish.

You stay awake and able to talk and swallow throughout, which is the point: the surgeon may ask you to say "eee", sing a note, cough, sniff or swallow a little water so the vocal cords can be seen moving. The images appear on a screen, so you can watch and have the findings explained as they are seen. The examination itself is brief, and the result is usually discussed before you leave the room.

Rigid laryngoscopy takes place in the operating theatre as a day case. You are asleep, a protective guard covers the teeth, and the surgeon views the larynx through a straight metal tube with a microscope. Any sample taken is sent to the laboratory, and you normally go home the same day.

Preparing for it

Clinic laryngoscopy needs very little preparation. Eat lightly beforehand, bring a list of your medicines, and mention any nosebleeds, a blocked side of the nose or previous nasal surgery. If you use a blood thinner, keep taking it as prescribed and tell the team.

Keep a short note of your voice pattern: when hoarseness started, whether it varies through the day, and whether it follows long calls, shouting, singing or time in air-conditioned rooms. Dry, cooled indoor air and dust are common in the UAE and can irritate the throat, so these details help.

Before a rigid laryngoscopy you receive fasting instructions and a pre-anaesthetic check. Arrange for an adult to take you home.

Afterwards

After flexible laryngoscopy the numbness fades gradually. Wait until your throat feels normal before you eat or drink, because swallowing while numb can let food or liquid go the wrong way; the team will tell you when it is safe to start, starting with sips of water. You can usually return to work straight after.

After rigid laryngoscopy your throat may feel sore and your voice husky for a few days. If nodules or polyps were removed, your surgeon may advise a period of voice rest; follow those instructions closely, as they protect the healing vocal cords. Biopsy results are discussed at a follow-up appointment. Voice therapy with a speech and language therapist, where helpful, is arranged by referral.

Call 06 599 7777 or contact your ENT team if you have a nosebleed that keeps going, a sore throat that is getting worse or a fever after the procedure.

Go to the emergency department straight away if you have noisy or difficult breathing, cough up more than streaks of blood, or cannot swallow your saliva.

Cost and insurance

Most UAE insurance plans cover flexible laryngoscopy as part of an ENT consultation. Rigid laryngoscopy and biopsy in theatre usually need insurance pre-approval, which the hospital can request once your surgeon has confirmed the plan. Contact Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah on 06 599 7777 to check your cover.