Laryngoscopy
Laryngoscopy
Guide
Rigid laryngoscopy is done with a general anesthetic. Do not eat or drink for 8 hours before the procedure. If you have this test in your doctor's office or at a surgery center, arrange to have someone drive you home after the procedure.
You will be asked to sign a consent form that says you understand the risks of the test and agree to have it done.
Talk to your doctor about any concerns you have regarding the need for the test, its risks, how it will be done, or what the results will mean. To help you understand the importance of this test, fill out the medical test information form(What is a PDF document?).
Indirect laryngoscopy and direct flexible laryngoscopy examinations are generally done in a doctor's office. Most fiber-optic laryngoscopies are done by an ear, nose, and throat specialist (ENT). You may be awake for the examination.
You will sit straight up in a chair and stick out your tongue as far as you can. The doctor will hold your tongue down with some gauze. This lets the doctor see your throat more clearly. If you gag easily, the doctor may spray a numbing medicine (local anesthetic) into your throat to help with the gaggy feeling.
The doctor will hold a small mirror at the back of your throat and shine a light into your mouth. He or she will wear a head mirror to reflect the light to the back of your throat. Or your doctor may wear headgear with a bright light hooked to it. He or she may ask you to make a high-pitched "e-e-e-e" sound or a low-pitched "a-a-a-a" sound. Making these noises helps the doctor see your vocal cords.
The examination takes 5 to 10 minutes.
If a local (topical) anesthetic is used during the examination, the numbing effect of the anesthetic will last about 30 minutes. You can eat or drink when your throat is no longer numb.
The doctor will use a thin, flexible scope to look at your throat. You may get a medicine to dry up the secretions in your nose and throat. This lets your doctor see more clearly. A topical anesthetic may be sprayed on your throat to numb it.
Laryngoscopy
Guide
How To Prepare continued...
Rigid laryngoscopy is done with a general anesthetic. Do not eat or drink for 8 hours before the procedure. If you have this test in your doctor's office or at a surgery center, arrange to have someone drive you home after the procedure.
You will be asked to sign a consent form that says you understand the risks of the test and agree to have it done.
Talk to your doctor about any concerns you have regarding the need for the test, its risks, how it will be done, or what the results will mean. To help you understand the importance of this test, fill out the medical test information form(What is a PDF document?).
How It Is Done
Indirect laryngoscopy and direct flexible laryngoscopy examinations are generally done in a doctor's office. Most fiber-optic laryngoscopies are done by an ear, nose, and throat specialist (ENT). You may be awake for the examination.
Indirect laryngoscopy
You will sit straight up in a chair and stick out your tongue as far as you can. The doctor will hold your tongue down with some gauze. This lets the doctor see your throat more clearly. If you gag easily, the doctor may spray a numbing medicine (local anesthetic) into your throat to help with the gaggy feeling.
The doctor will hold a small mirror at the back of your throat and shine a light into your mouth. He or she will wear a head mirror to reflect the light to the back of your throat. Or your doctor may wear headgear with a bright light hooked to it. He or she may ask you to make a high-pitched "e-e-e-e" sound or a low-pitched "a-a-a-a" sound. Making these noises helps the doctor see your vocal cords.
The examination takes 5 to 10 minutes.
If a local (topical) anesthetic is used during the examination, the numbing effect of the anesthetic will last about 30 minutes. You can eat or drink when your throat is no longer numb.
Direct flexible laryngoscopy
The doctor will use a thin, flexible scope to look at your throat. You may get a medicine to dry up the secretions in your nose and throat. This lets your doctor see more clearly. A topical anesthetic may be sprayed on your throat to numb it.
