Girish Mahajan (Editor)

Nasoendoscopy

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In speech pathology and medicine, nasoendoscopy is the endoscopic examination of the velopharynx, or the nose, often with a CCD camera or a fiber optic camera on a flexible tube passed through the nostril. It can provide information to evaluate speech and velopharyngeal function or dysfunction, as in diseases such as sinonasal carcinomas.

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Indications

After removal of nasal packing following epistaxis, routine nasoendoscopy is not necessarily indicated. However, widely accepted indications for nasoendoscopy include:

  • abnormal speech characteristics: hypernasal resonance, excessive nasal airflow including nasal air escape and nasal turbulence, and absence of or weak intra-oral air pressure for oral pressure consonants;
  • limited progress with speech therapy to establish oral pressure sounds;
  • difficulty maintaining intra-oral air pressure and velopharyngeal closure during speech;
  • patient has known or suspected abnormality of palate or velopharynx; and,
  • patient is being considered for pharyngoplasty, maxillary advancement or speech prosthesis.

    • Contraindications, complications, and safety

    No absolute contraindications exist for nasoendoscopy; and, while the procedure is relatively safe, the exact risk of the procedure depends on the skill and experience of the endoscope operator.

    References

    Nasoendoscopy Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA