Pharyngolaryngeal reflux – a new clinical entity?

Abstract

In the past, pharyngolaryngeal reflux was considered a com­pli­cation of the gastroesophageal reflux disease. The gas­tro­esophageal reflux disease is a clinical entity be­long­ing to gastroenterology and it represents all the symp­toms due to reflux of the gastric content in the eso­pha­gus, whether or not accompanied by lesions of the eso­pha­geal mu­co­sa, being diagnosed and managed by the gastro­en­te­ro­logist. The pharyngolaryngeal reflux, known in the specialty literature as „the silent reflux“, is considered a distinct clinical entity, diagnosed and managed by the oto­la­ryn­go­lo­gist due to its specific symptoms caused by the as­cen­sion of the gastric content to the pharyngolaryngeal level, causing laryngeal mucosal lesions. The authors are focusing on establishing a diagnosis and treatment al­go­rithm for pharyngolaryngeal reflux, reviewing the sym­p­to­ma­to­logy and the impact of this pathology on the nor­mal anatomy and physiology of vocal tract structures, spe­ci­fi­cally on the differences between pharyngolaryngeal reflux and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).