Differentiating characteristics of the course of chronic laryngitis in patients with combined laryngeal pathologies

Introduction. Modern otolaryngology devotes insufficient attention to the study of laryngitis in patients with dysphonia caused by cervical spine (CS) pathologies. The limited scientific work in this area primarily consists of case reports. The primary focus is on the impact of cervical spine instability on laryngeal muscle tone and vocal fold innervation, rather than the specific inflammatory changes in the larynx that develop in the context of this comorbidity. The need for an in-depth study of the differential features of laryngitis in patients with comorbid conditions stems from a contradiction. While laryngitis, CS pathologies, and dysphonia are actively studied separately, the specific features of laryngitis in patients with a combination of these pathologies remain poorly understood. Objective. Theoretical justification, experimental study and detailed description of the differentiating features of the course of laryngitis in patients with comorbid conditions, with special attention to dysphonia associated with cervical spine pathology. Material and methods. The study was conducted on the basis of the SAHI CCCH №18.Kazan. 445 patients with dysphonia were examined, including 258 men and 187 women aged 18 to 87 years. Results. As part of the study, 153 patients were examined as the main group, and they underwent a comprehensive clinical and instrumental examination using methods such as mesopharyngoscopy, video endolaryngostroboscopy, CT of the larynx and cervical spine. During the diagnosis, characteristic morphological signs were identified, including unilateral hypertrophy of the palatine and lingual tonsils, deviation of the palatine uvula, thickening of the vocal fold and swelling of the vestibular fold. The peculiarities of the condition of the neck muscles and the location of the hyoid bone due to the pathology of the cervical region were also revealed. Computed tomography revealed Atlas rotational subluxations, degenerative-dystrophic changes, spondylosis, and a «shift» symptom. Conclusions. The signs identified during the study make it possible to differentiate laryngitis associated with pathology of the cervical spine from its other variants and to increase the effectiveness of treatment.
Key words: laryngitis, combined laryngeal pathologies, dysphonia, pathology of the cervical spine
Conflict of interest. The authors have no conflicts of interest.
Funding. Absent.