Our Summary

This research paper is about a 24-year-old woman who had been experiencing a hoarse voice for two months. Her doctors had tried basic treatments, but they didn’t work. When they examined her throat more closely, they found an abnormal, white, ulcer-like growth on her vocal cords and surrounding areas. The doctors decided to do a biopsy, which is when they take a small piece of tissue to study it more closely.

During the biopsy, they found more of the white, abnormal tissue in other areas of her throat. After studying the tissue, they found out she had tuberculosis, which is a serious infection that can affect the lungs and other parts of the body. After consulting with lung specialists, they started her on a special treatment for tuberculosis.

After a month of treatment, the woman’s voice had improved significantly. They looked at her throat again and found that the abnormal growth had almost completely disappeared, with only a small ulcer remaining on one of her vocal cords.

In other words, this paper details a case of a woman who had tuberculosis which affected her throat, resulting in a hoarse voice, and was successfully treated with anti-tuberculosis drugs.

FAQs

  1. What are the symptoms that might indicate a need for vocal cord surgery?
  2. What were the intraoperative findings during the vocal cord surgery of the 24-year-old woman?
  3. How was the woman’s condition treated after her vocal cord surgery?

Doctor’s Tip

A helpful tip that a doctor might give a patient undergoing vocal cord surgery is to follow all post-operative care instructions carefully, including resting the voice, avoiding straining or excessive talking, staying hydrated, and attending any recommended speech therapy sessions. It is important to give the vocal cords time to heal properly in order to achieve the best possible outcome from the surgery.

Suitable For

Patients who are typically recommended vocal cord surgery are those who have persistent hoarseness or voice changes that do not improve with conservative management, such as voice therapy or medication. In some cases, vocal cord surgery may be recommended for patients with vocal cord lesions, such as polyps, nodules, cysts, or tumors, that are affecting their voice quality or causing other symptoms. Patients with conditions such as laryngeal papillomatosis, vocal cord paralysis, or laryngeal stenosis may also be recommended for vocal cord surgery to improve their voice function and quality of life. Additionally, patients with certain medical conditions, such as tuberculosis or other respiratory infections, that are affecting the vocal cords may also be recommended for vocal cord surgery as part of their treatment plan.

Timeline

  • Patient experiences hoarseness for 2 months not responding to conservative management
  • Laryngoscopic examination reveals ulceroproliferative lesion on true vocal cords
  • Biopsy under general anaesthesia shows necrotic tissue involving multiple areas of the larynx
  • Postoperative histopathology confirms tuberculosis
  • Patient starts anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy
  • One month post therapy, voice is symptomatically better
  • Flexible fibreoptic laryngoscopic examination shows almost complete resolution of the lesion

What to Ask Your Doctor

  1. What is the reason for the vocal cord surgery and what are the expected outcomes?
  2. What are the potential risks and complications associated with the surgery?
  3. What is the success rate of this type of surgery for my condition?
  4. What is the recovery process like and how long will it take?
  5. Will I need speech therapy or other rehabilitation after the surgery?
  6. Are there any alternative treatments or options available for my condition?
  7. How many times have you performed this type of surgery and what is your success rate?
  8. Will I need to follow any specific post-operative care instructions?
  9. How soon after the surgery will I be able to resume normal activities, such as speaking and singing?
  10. Are there any long-term effects or considerations I should be aware of after the surgery?

Reference

Authors: Raj R, Sud P, Saharan N, Virk RS. Journal: BMJ Case Rep. 2022 Feb 7;15(2):e248095. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2021-248095. PMID: 35131802