Ear, nose and throat

Consultants

Ear, nose and throat tests

Fibroscopy

For the past few years this has been the leading tool for otorhinolaryngologists because it provides them with a great deal of information not only about the vocal folds but the entire nasal cavity and pharyngeal-laryngeal region.

The fiberscope is a flexible camera that is inserted through the nostril and allows us to observe the vocal folds. As a general rule, it is well tolerated by the majority of patients.

Laryngeal Endoscopy

An endoscope is similar to the fiberscope, but it is rigid instead of flexible. It is inserted through the mouth, and because of its zoom feature it gives us more detailed information about the vocal cords and what is affecting them.

Unlike fibroscopy, laryngeal endoscopy is not very well tolerated and the trade-off is that we lose information about the region surrounding the vocal folds.

Stroboscopy

A strobe light is more than a lighting system. Its distinctive feature is that it emits flashes of light in synch with the fundamental frequency of the patient being scanned, which allows us to visualise the vocal folds in slow motion or even get a frozen image of them.

Acoustic analysis

Among the latest advances is digital scanning software. These programs provide us with a great deal of information about hundreds of parameters of the human voice, such as frequency, formants, noise in phonation, amplitude, etc.

It is a weapon of great interest, especially for professionals who want to make the most of their voice.

Laryngeal electromyography (LEMG)

A new exploratory technique in otolaryngology, LEMG requires a high degree of training and knowledge of anatomy on the part of the ENT. It is the final diagnostic step, and its use is limited to injuries or disorders that have not been identified with any of the above methods.

The basic idea is that it gives us information about the muscles involved in phonation, and by extension about the nerves that innervate these muscles.