Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery

A 51-year-old Mr. Li recently visited the Department of Otolaryngology - Head, Neck and Surgery of Clifford Hospital for swallowing difficulty. Under the electronic laryngoscope, a lump with uneven surface was detected on the tongue root. An ensuing biopsy was confirmed as positive for malignancy.

Likewise, a 60-year-old Ms. Lin went to the same department because of bloody sputum for two days. The ENT specialist Dr. Wang Huimin performed an electronic laryngososcopy for her, and found that her nasopharyngeal mucosa was uneven on the surface. New blood vessels were observed, which were dilated, tortuous and disordered. Biopsy taken from the mucous membrane of the bulge reported her result as malignant tumor.

Wider and Clearer Field of Vision Avoids Misdiagnosis and Missed Diagnosis
“Look, there is granular vascular dilatation on the mucosal surface, which is a manifestation of malignant tumor. Biopsy taken here shows a high positive rate. Before Narrow Band Imaging (NBI) was introduced, biopsies sometimes reported as false negative because the lesions were large while biopsy forceps were too small. NBI facilitates faster and more accurate biopsy diagnosis.” Dr. Wang said, pointing at Ms. Lin’s biopsy result.

Detection of Malignant Tumors by Laryngoscopy

The Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Sugery Department of Clifford Hospital has introduced the state-of-art equipment ----Ultra-high Definition Eectronic Dynamic Nasolaryngoscopy System.

Compared with the previous generations, this system offers bigger magnification and wider and clearer view to ensure a more comprehensive and precise observation of the mucous membrane of the nose and throat. It can detect tiny mucosal lesions that cannot be observed with naked eyes and enhance the imaging of tumor lesion. With NBI, this new system can clearly show the lesion boundary, allowing doctors to identify arteries, define cancer types and assess the scope of invasion. It improves the diagnostic rate of early vocal cord carcinoma, early hypopharyngeal carcinoma, vocal cord paralysis, vocal cyst and vocal leukoplakia, and helps avoid misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis.

Under NBI, if no specific vascular change is observed in the lump and its surrounding area, the possibility of malignancy can be basically excluded, and there will be no need for preoperative biopsy. It can play a guiding role in the operation.

Safe & Painless Laryngoscopy for Early Diagnosis and Treatment

“With this new system, nasopharyngeal and laryngeal lesions can be detected, diagnosed and treated early to improve the survival and quality of life of patients.” Dr. Wang said. Recent years saw an annual increase in the incidence rate of nasopharyngeal and pharyngolaryngeal cancer, but most of the patients have developed to moderate and advanced stage at the time of diagnosis. As a result, the surgery involves removal of an area so big that it impedes patients’ ability to swallow and speak. This is because it’s difficult to identify early lesions of throat tumor under ordinary endoscopy. Doctors can only determine through the change of the site, color and shape of the lesions. However, early laryngopharyngeal carcinoma lesions are hard to distinguish from inflammatory or ulcerative lesions and easily misdiagnosed as “pharyngitis”, thus missing the prime time for treatment. Therefore, Ultra-high definition dynamic nasopharyngoscopy has great clinical significance for early diagnosis of laryngopharyngeal carcinoma.

The new generation of nasopharyngoscopy is safe, radiation-free, and time-efficient. It doesn’t require fasting before the exam. With administration of topical anesthesia, the scope will be guided through the natural cavities. The procedure is painless and can be used as a routine screening method for patients with high risk of nasopharyngeal, laryngeal and hypopharyngeal tumors.

Procedure with the State-of-art Larynscopy System

Indications of Ultra-high definition electronic dynamic nasopharyngoscopy

01 

To identify the causes of various symptoms: pharyngeal pain or discomfort; hoarseness, coughing up bloody sputum; producing blood-tinged post-nasal discharge, tinnitus and hearing loss; nasal congestion, nosebleed, purulent nasal discharge, headache, etc.

02 

To locate the suspected primary focus of cervical lymph node metastasis in the head and neck

03 

Suspected nasopharyngeal tumor that requires biopsy for definite diagnosis

04

Evaluation of therapeutic effect of nasopharyngeal tumor treatment and post-treatment follow-up

05

Removal of foreign body in nose and throat