ENT \ Hoarseness

Question 1

What is hoarseness?

Answer 1

A change in voice quality

Question 2

What mucosal lesions can cause hoarseness in kids?

Answer 2

Vocal fold nodules and granulomas

Question 3

What are causes of chronic laryngitis (lasting more than 3 months)?

Answer 3

• Exposure to environmental irritants
• allergies
• chronic sinusitis
• medications (such as inhaled steroids),
• gastroesophageal reflux
• tumors (benign and malignant)

Question 4

What is the most common laryngeal cancer in adults?

Answer 4

• Squamous cell carcinoma
  
  • risk factors include tobacco and alcohol use

Question 5

What are causes of unilateral vocal fold paralysis from recurrent laryngeal nerve injury in adults?

Answer 5

• Iatrogenic injury
• extra-laryngeal malignancy (eg, thyroid cancer)
• degenerative neural disorders(e.g. ALS)
• demyelinating disease (e.g. MS)

Question 6

Bacterial infections are a more common cause of laryngitis than viral infections. True or false?

Answer 6

• False.
  
  • Laryngitis is typically from viral infections but secondary bacterial infections can occur (look for fever, purulent exudates, and progressive pain).

Question 7

When hoarseness lasts for more than 2 weeks and does not have an apparent benign cause, a patient should undergo what kind of procedure?

Answer 7

Direct or indirect laryngoscopy