Navigation of the nose with flexible fiberoptic endoscopy.
The introduction of flexible fiberoptics into medicine revolutionized the evaluation and treatment of velopharyngeal dysfunction. In this paper, rigid endoscopy and flexible fiberoptic scopes are discussed, including their respective advantages and disadvantages. Anesthetic and anatomic considerations relative to the endoscopic procedure are presented. Transnasal endoscopy permits documentation of static and dynamic anatomy, information that may be fundamental for the understanding and treatment of patients with velopharyngeal dysfunction.
Muntz
H
H
St. Louis Children's Hospital, Washington University School of Medicine, MO 63110.
D000772:Anesthesia, Local; D002648:Child; D019723:Endoscopes; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D007909:Lenses; D009666:Nose / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D013499:Surface Properties