The role of 70-degree telescopic examination during direct laryngoscopic evaluation of laryngeal cancers.

Endoscopy has currently been an indispensable method in many areas of otorhinolaryngology, especially in paranasal sinus surgery. Telescopic evaluation of the larynx has not drawn much attention. In this study, a 70-degree angled rigid telescope was used along with computerized tomography (CT), indirect and direct laryngoscopy in the evaluation of laryngeal cancer. The critical areas such as the anterior commissure, subglottic region and ventricles were investigated specifically. Nineteen patients were collected in the study. We found the sensitivity for indirect laryngoscopy to be 20-25% and for direct laryngoscopy to be 50-70%. The scores for CT and 70-degree telescopy were 70-100%. In the subglottic region telescopy was superior to CT. We believe that, when it is used in association with CT, telescopy provides better insight when deciding between partial or total laryngectomy and a healthier evaluation of the resection margin.