Laryngoscope

What is laryngoscopy?

Laryngoscopy is a procedure a doctor uses to look at the larynx (voice box), including the vocal cords, as well as nearby structures like the back of the throat. There are different types of laryngoscopy:

• In a direct laryngoscopy, the doctor can use different types of laryngoscopes, which are long, thin instruments with a light and a lens or small video camera on the end. The laryngoscope is put in through your nose or mouth and down your throat. Some laryngoscopes are flexible (fiber-optic), while others are rigid (stiff). The choice of which type to use depends on why it’s being done.

• For an indirect laryngoscopy, the doctor aims a light at the back of the throat, usually by wearing headgear that has a bright light attached, and uses a small, tilted mirror held at the back of the throat to see the vocal cords.