Vocal fold polyp

Vocal fold polyps (or vocal cord polyps) are benign changes (a benign tumor) located on the vocal fold. These polyps always develop at the free edge of the vocal fold or at the subglottic junction (corresponds to the area under the glottis) of the anterior third of the vocal fold. In most cases a vocal fold polyp is located at the transition from the anterior to the middle third. In about 90% of patients, a vocal fold polyp occurs on only one side.

Appearance of vocal fold polyps

Voice lip polyps can look very different. They are either Also in its size Stimmlippenpolypen can vary strongly. Usually they are rather small and lie broad-based on the vocal fold, but there are also larger polyps, which are spherical and stalked.

No malignant degenerations of the benign vocal fold polyps have been described so far. If a vocal fold polyp is examined under the microscope (a histological examination), an enlargement of the tissue can be seen, which is caused by an increase in the number of cells (hyperplasia). This hyperplasia affects the mucous membrane and is the reaction to an inflammation. It can either have an angioma or fibroma-like structure or it can be a true fibroma (benign tumor).

  • Reddish and vascular (sometimes small bluish veins can be seen running through the polyp, which is then called teleangiectatic) or
  • Glassy translucent, in which case one also speaks of a gelatinous polyp.

Causes of the origin

Why it comes to the emergence of a vocal fold polyp, could not be clarified until today yet. It is however remarkable that they occur more frequently with men in the middle age. In addition there seems to be further factors of risk:

  • Smoking cigarettes
  • A permanent strong strain on the voice (as it occurs, for example, with teachers or singers)

Symptoms

Patients with vocal fold polyps are usually noticed by hoarseness. This hoarseness can either be permanent or temporary. This is especially the case if the vocal fold polyp is built in such a way that it can shift depending on the position of the vocal folds.

For example, in larger polyps it is possible that they can “slip” into the area under the glottis and cause no discomfort in this position. With this type of polyp, hoarseness usually disappears after coughing or clearing the throat. Especially, but not exclusively, such patients often have a compulsive need to clear their throat.

In addition, a so-called diplophony can exist, i.e. a double tone of the voice sound. Some patients also describe a foreign body sensation in the throat, which, just like hoarseness, can decrease and increase in intensity and is either permanent or only intermittent. The larger an existing vocal fold polyp is, the sooner it can come also once to a more or less restricted respiration up to a suffocation attack.