Role of stroboscopy in evaluation of patients with vocal abnormalities

Abstract

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> Stroboscopy is an examination in which strobe light is combined with laryngoscopy, to visualize the vocal fold vibration. It makes use of the Talbot’s law for visualizing the vibrating vocal fold having frequency of around 250 times per sec. This technique was used for studying voice abnormalities and evaluate related pathologies. The aim and objective was to evaluate patients with vocal abnormalities with the help of stroboscope and to study the mucosal wave pattern pre and post treatment of vocal cord pathologies.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> A prospective observational study was conducted at a tertiary care facility in central India. 50 patients with vocal abnormalities for more than 2 weeks were subjected to stroboscopy. Written informed consent from eligible patients was obtained and they were evaluated by stroboscopy using Karl Storz stroboscope with 70 degree 8 mm telescope, model no.: 20140020032. A second follow up stroboscopy was done two months post treatment and the parameters were recorded.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> VC nodule was observed as the most common pathology followed by vocal polyp, carcinoma and chronic laryngitis. It was also observed that there was statistically significant difference (p<0.001) in pre and post treatment findings of different parameters of voice evaluated using stroboscopy.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Video stroboscopic evaluation proved to be a useful and reliable tool for evaluation and treatment of the patients with voice abnormalities as the changes in pre and post treatment voice parameters were found to be statistically significant.</p>