[Innovative endoscopic technologies in the diagnosis of laryngeal diseases in adults and children]. / Innovatsionnye endoskopicheskie tekhnologii v diagnostike zabolevanii gortani u vzroslykh i detei.

Diseases diagnosis of the larynx in children and adults remains a difficult and urgent task of otorhinolaryngology. Modern diseases diagnostics of the larynx is based on endoscopic examination methods, which are the most informative and allow assessing the status of the larynx at a very advanced level. In 397 patients (329 adults and 68 children) with dysphonia, video rhinopharyngolaryngoscopy was performed using the PENTAX Medical VIVIDEO system. In addition, in 36 adults and 8 children, the status of the larynx was assessed by video laryngoscopy and video laryngostroboscopy using a rigid endoscope. Comparative analysis of video rhinopharyngolaryngoscopy and video endolaryngoscopy usage showed that the quality and size of the video image of the larynx in adults and children when using a video rhinopharyngolaryngoscope are comparable to the picture obtained using a rigid endoscope. The use of a video rhinopharyngolaryngoscope increases the efficiency of the examination, since the small diameter of the inserted working part allows carrying out the procedure as fast and comfortably as possible for the patient.

[Acute and chronic laryngitis in the subjects engaged in the voice and speech professions]. / Ostrye i khronicheskie laringity u professionalov golosa.

Laryngitis is one of the commonest causes of dysphonia in the subjects engaged in the voice and speech professions. This condition can be either associated with the professional activities or related to voice fatigue. It is a common practice to distinguish between acute and chronic forms of occupational laryngitis. The main factors responsible for development of both conditions include the non-observance of directions concerning the protection and hygiene of the speaking and singing voice. The present study included 478 (100%) subjects engaged in the voice and speech professions presenting with the diagnosis of acute or chronic occupational laryngitis who applied for medical assistance to our Phoniatric Care Department. The clinical state of their larynx was evaluated with the use of the videoendostroboscopic technique. Acute laryngitis was diagnosed in 103 (21.5%) of the examined subjects while the remaining 375 (78.5%) ones presented with chronic laryngitis. A characteristic feature of acute occupational laryngitis documented in 38 (36.9%) examined professional voice users with this condition (practically healthy in all other respects) was the development of this disorder as a result of overloading the speech organs. On the contrary, viral and/or bacterial laryngitis revealed in 65 (63.1%) of the patients was preceded by acute respiratory symptoms. A total of 62 (16.5%) patients suffered from chronic occupational laryngitis attributable to overloading of the organs of speech during protracted periods. The remaining 313 examined professional voice users were found to present with various forms of chronic laryngitis including catarrhal laryngitis in 175 (46.7%) of them, edematous-polypoid and atrophic forms in 32 (8.5%) and 19 (5.1%) subjects respectively. The main etiological factors underlying the development of all the tree forms of chronic laryngitis were smoking, chronic tonsillitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, bronchial asthma, and diabetes mellitus.

[The combined treatment of dysphonia in the subjects engaged in the voice and speech professions]. / Kompleksnoe lechenie disfonii u lits golosorechevykh professii.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the application of homeovox for the combined treatment of small vocal cord nodules and acute laryngitis in the professional voice users. A total of 40 subjects presenting with dysphonia were examined after they were divided into two study groups and two groups of comparison depending on the nosological form of the pathological condition. The subjects comprising the study groups were given traditional therapy in the combination with the intake of homeovox whereas the patients included in the two groups of comparison received the traditional treatment alone. The outcome of the treatment was evaluated on days 1, 5, and 10 after the initiation of therapy based on the analysis of the changes in the videoendostroboscopic picture of the larynx and the acoustic characteristics obtained by the computer-assisted analysis of the voice. The analysis of the results of the combined treatment has demonstrated the statistically significant differences in some acoustic parameters of the voice between the subjects with small vocal cord nodules and acute laryngitis belonging to the study groups and the groups of comparison. It is concluded that the introduction of homeovox in the combined treatment of the patients presenting with the small nodules in the vocal cords and acute catarrhal laryngitis accelerates the recovery of the acoustic characteristics of the voice within various periods after the onset of the treatment in comparison with the patients treated with the use of traditional therapy alone.

[The electron microscopic study of tumour-like structures on the vocal cords].

We have undertaken the electron microscopic investigation into peculiarities of six tumour-like structures on the vocal cords. The study has demonstrated changes in the number and distribution patterns of intercellular junctions, keratin and tonofilament contents in epithelial cells, basal membrane structure, and composition of the basic substance in lamina propria. All the examined tumour-like structures contained bacteria an two of them had viral particles in vacuoles of fibroblasts. Moreover, the bacteria were found on the surface of epithelium, between epithelial cells and in the basic substance in lamina propria. Cytoplasm of epithelial cells and fibroblasts not infrequently contained bacteria in the phase of division.