Clinical diagnosis and treatment of 157 cases of vocal leukoplakia

Abstract

Objective:To study the clinical characteristics and common etiology of vocal cord leukoplakia, and explore the treatment principle. Method:One hundred and fifty-seven patients with vocal cord leukoplakia were recruited in this study. They were assessed by routine laryngoscope, narrow band imaging （NBI）, stroboscope, reflux finding score （RFs） and reflux symptom index （RSI）, and given conservative treatment （smoking cessation, alcohol, acid suppression, sound cessation, etc.） and/or surgical treatment. Result:Among 157 patients with leukoplakia of vocal cord, 109 （69.4%） had basically improved or cured after conservative treatment. Forty-eight cases underwent operation. The postoperative pathological diagnosis was mild dysplasia in 2 cases （1.3%）, moderate dysplasia in 15 cases （9.6%）, severe dysplasia or carcinoma in situ in 19 cases （12.1%）, and invasive carcinoma in 12 cases （7.6%）. Conclusion:NBI and stroboscopic laryngoscopy showed that most of the leukoplakia of vocal cord was non-malignant in nature, which was not in accordance with the indication of operation. Conservative treatment is effective. Biopsy or operation was indicated in only a few patients. Moreover, most of the patients are accompanied by laryngopharyngeal reflux, and the treatment of acid suppression is effective.