Section: 
Science articles
Science articlesVocal folds polyps in voice professionals
Yu. E. Stepanova (1), E. E. Koren’ (1), T. V. Gotovyakhina (1)
(1) Saint Petersburg Research Institute of Ear, Throat, Nose and Speech, Saint Petersburg, 190013, Russia
UDK: УДК 616.22-002-006.5:612.22-002-008.5
DOI: https://doi.org/10.18692/1810-4800-2022-2-62-69
ABSTRACT
Vocal fold polyps (VFP) are referred to as tumor-like formations of the larynx. They also, like nodules, occur in less than 1% of the population, while the ratio of men and women is 2:1. The voice of patients with VFP is characterized by pronounced dysphonia, which creates significant problems for voice professionals. A change in voice function affects the communicative abilities of patients, psychological status, limits their ability to work. 60 patients with VFP who applied to the phoniatric department of the Saint Petersburg Research Institute of Ear, Throat, Nose, and Speech were examined: 34 (57%) women and 26 (43%) men, aged 20 to 61 years, the average age of patients was 33,8 ± 1,7 years. All patients were representatives of voice professions. The main complaint in all patients with polyps of the vocal folds was hoarseness. The duration of vocal disorders in 40 (67%) patients with VFP ranged from 1 month to 1 year. The rest of the patients suffered from dysphonia for more than a year. The average duration of phonation disturbance was 1,6 ± 0,7 years. The main cause of voice problems was considered by patients to be excessive voice use. When collecting anamnesis, it turned out that 35 (58%) people smoked. The analysis of concomitant diseases according to the anamnesis and the documentation provided by the patients revealed somatic pathology in all patients. Diseases of the gastroduodenal, endocrine, and cardiovascular systems were more common than others. Laryngeal diseases were diagnosed by video laryngoscopy, video laryngostroboscopy. Unilateral localization of the formation was detected in 58 (97%) cases, bilateral, in 2 (3%) cases. The background condition for the formation of VFP was hypotension of the vocal folds in 26 (43%) of the examined. In addition, signs of chronic laryngitis, nodules of the vocal folds on the vocal fold opposite to the polyp, hypertrophy, and hyperfunction of the vestibular folds were revealed. Thus, excessive voice use, pathological changes in the vocal apparatus, nervous, endocrine, gastroduodenal, and other systems as well as smoking contributed to the formation of vocal fold polyps in voice professionals.
Publication date:
18.04.2022
Keywords:
voice professional, vocal cord polyp, video endostroboscopiс examination of larynx, hoarseness, dysphonia. For citation:
Stepanova Yu. E., Koren’ E. E., Gotovyakhina T. V. Vocal folds polyps in voice professionals. Rossiiskaya otorinolaringologiya. 2022;21(2):62-69. https://doi.org/10.18692/1810-4800-2022-2-62-69