Voice Case of the Week: Lasers in Laryngology (AKA Why we should trust our singing patients)

Osborne Head and Neck Institute Case Presentation:

The patient is a 27-year-old female enrolled in a graduate level vocal performance program. She has had vocal difficulties for many years, including vocal inconsistency, intermittently decreased vocal range, and increased effort of phonation. She has sought evaluation numerous times. Each evaluation has noted the presence of varices (dilated blood vessels) on the left vocal fold but she has been told that varices cannot cause dysphonia (vocal symptoms) unless they rupture, resulting in a hemorrhage. The times that she has been evaluated while symptomatic did not demonstrate a hemorrhage and so she has been told there was nothing that could be done.

Figure: Varices before laser treatment (left). Varices after treatment. Note that the pink hue of the photo is due to a lens filter that protects the surgeon’s eyes from the laser (right).
Figure: Varices before laser treatment (left). Varices after treatment. Note that the pink hue of the photo is due to a lens filter that protects the surgeon’s eyes from the laser (right).

Click here for Los Angeles, laryngologist, Dr. Reena Gupta, MD’s diagnosis.

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