The laryngoscope, also known as a laryngoscope, is a simply constructed device used to visually examine the larynx.
What is the laryngoscope?
The laryngoscope is a simply constructed device for optical examination of the larynx. It consists of a small, round mirror and a long, thin metal handle. Since the actual mirror is at a certain angle to the handle, the larynx and also the other areas of the mouth and throat can be viewed with such a laryngoscope without much effort. All that is additionally required is a light source for such an examination. The laryngoscope was invented as early as 1743 and originally only served to visualize vocal fold function, for example when singing and speaking. This contributed much to the anatomical understanding about the voice.
Shapes, types, and species
The laryngoscope is always the same in principle. It is a small mirror attached at a certain angle to a long handle. The diameter of the mirror can be of different sizes. Such a laryngoscope is also available for private use for just a few euros. In addition to a simple laryngoscope, other instruments can also be used for indirect laryngoscopy. These are endoscopes such as an inclined magnifying endoscope or a fiberoptic endoscope made of flexible material. This is also suitable for patients with a strong gag reflex or a less mobile jaw. Other laryngoscopes are required for direct observation of the larynx as part of a more detailed medical examination. The so-called surgical laryngoscope, on the other hand, is used primarily for medical procedures on the larynx. It is tubular in design, has integrated illumination and provides an optimal view of the larynx. A laryngoscope is also used during intubation. The intubation laryngoscope is spatula-shaped in design and is standard equipment in every operating room.
Structure and mode of operation
In a common handheld laryngoscope, the actual plane mirror is located at an angle of about 45 degrees at the end of a long, thin metal stem. The mirror comes in a variety of sizes and is usually 1.5 to 3cm in diameter, about the size of a euro coin. The length of the mostly metal handle is between 15 and 20cm. This length makes it easy to reach the optimal position in the throat for examining the larynx. Since the laryngeal mirror itself does not contain any illumination, the physician must supply a light source indirectly from the outside, for example via a headlamp or a forehead mirror. The light beam is then redirected via the laryngoscope to the patient’s larynx so that the physician can see something there. A laryngoscope allows indirect observation of the larynx, through which some basic functions of the larynx – for example, the closure of the vocal folds or the integrity after injuries – can already be examined. However, viewing the larynx with a laryngoscope is the simplest form of examination. For more complicated procedures or a more detailed examination, more elaborate devices exist for the same purpose. Essential to the function of the laryngeal mirror is the special inclination of the actual mirror at a relatively large angle to the handle, as well as one of the best-known physical rules of reflection: the angle of incidence of the image – in this case of the larynx – corresponds to the angle of reflection – in this case, what the doctor sees in the mirror.
Medical and health benefits
A laryngoscope can be used to view the larynx and inspect its function and anatomy. For this purpose, ENT physicians or – especially in the case of severe vocal problems, as well as singers and similar professionals whose potential is their own voice – specialized phoniatrics specialists are also the right place to go. Phenomena examined with a laryngoscope include, for example, closure of the vocal folds, which singers and similar occupational groups with a heavy vocal load in particular often want or need to have checked.While an indirect view of the larynx, for example through the laryngoscope, is performed without anesthesia, the patient is always anesthetized during a direct view of the larynx with more elaborate equipment. Reasons for laryngoscopy are symptoms that suggest a functional or anatomical disorder of the larynx. These include general difficulty speaking and swallowing, prolonged hoarseness or irritating cough, and annoying sounds such as a soft whistling when breathing. Singers are often concerned about nodules on the vocal cords. In smokers, on the other hand, laryngoscopy can be particularly useful in detecting laryngeal cancer as early as possible and treating it accordingly. In the case of injuries in the area of the larynx, it must also be inspected closely. Not only ENT physicians, but also emergency physicians will always have a laryngoscope with them, as it is also needed in case of intubation. For the same reason, a laryngoscope is one of the everyday instruments in the operating room.
