Unsuspected intraoperative finding of structural abnormalities associated with vocal fold polyps.

Objectives: To report the findings of unsuspected underlying concurrent abnormalities of the vocal fold (VF) associated with polyps.

Study Design And Setting: Retrospective chart review at tertiary teaching institution.

Subjects And Methods: Operative and clinical notes of 81 adults submitted to suspension laryngoscopy for vocal fold polyp (VFP) excision from 1998 to 2007, which had no previous report of associated structural abnormalities.

[Incidence of structural vocal fold abnormalities associated with vocal fold polyps.

Unlabelled: Phonotrauma is considered the main cause of vocal fold polyps (VFP). However, the authors believe that an underlying anatomical deviation could render the vocal folds more susceptible to such trauma.

Aim: To prove this hypothesis a retrospective chart review was carried out to correlate the surgical findings of patients with VFP.