Mr. Hai, 38 years old, lost his voice, hoarseness, and shortness of breath due to the large growth of vocal cord polyps.
Mr. Hai, living in Dak Lak, had a vocal cord polyp (tumor on the vocal cords) two years ago. The doctor advised him to limit talking too much, but because he works as a product consultant, he often has to talk a lot.
Recently, he lost his voice, was constantly short of breath, and his work efficiency decreased. He went to Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City for examination. Laryngoscopy results showed a polyp in the left vocal cord, about 0.5 cm in size.
On May 28, master and doctor CKI Diep Phuc Anh, Ear, Nose and Throat Center, said that large laryngeal polyps can cause difficulty breathing, so patients need early surgery.
Dr. Phuc Anh performs endoscopic laryngeal microsurgery, using a laryngoscope to completely remove the polyp, stop bleeding on the spot, and minimize damage to normal structures in 30 minutes.
Doctor Phuc Anh and the surgical team removed Mr. Hai’s vocal cord polyp. Image: Tam Anh General Hospital
After two weeks of follow-up examination, Mr. Hai’s hoarseness decreased, he was no longer short of breath, his voice improved about 80-90%, and his vocal cords healed well. Surgical results of benign polyps.
After surgery, the patient needs to abstain from speaking for at least two weeks; Avoid talking too much or loudly; Drink two liters of water every day; Do not abuse stimulants. Limit spicy and hot foods; Cleaning the throat with salt water solution also helps the vocal cords recover well.
Vocal cord polyps are usually benign, large or small in size, pedunculated or sessile. Not all cases of vocal cord polyps require surgical treatment. Depending on the severity and stage of the disease, the doctor prescribes the appropriate method. After surgery, the polyp is subjected to pathology to determine the nature of the lesion.
Voice disorder is a symptom of vocal cord polyps. Doctor Phuc Anh explained that the cause is because the vocal cords cannot close and vibrate unevenly. The degree of voice disorder depends on the size, the larger the polyp, the wider the glottal gap (space between the vocal cords) when pronouncing. Therefore, when speaking, the patient’s voice becomes hoarse and short of breath.
Laryngoscopy can detect vocal cord polyps early. People who have had hoarseness for more than a month should go to an ear, nose and throat doctor for an endoscopy so that they can be treated early.
To prevent the risk of vocal cord polyps, doctor Phuc Anh recommends limiting talking too much, speaking loudly, shouting, and singing continuously; reduce smoking, limit drinks containing caffeine and alcohol; drink enough water. Control gastroesophageal reflux disease by eating meals on time and not eating late at night to avoid acid damage to the larynx. People who are often exposed to toxic chemicals and pollution should wear protective masks and clean their nose and throat.