Value of Transnasal Esophagoscopy in the Workup of Laryngo-Pharyngeal Reflux

Lukas Horvath; Karolos Fostiropoulos; Emanuel Burri; Marcel Kraft

doi:10.3390/jcm10143188

Value of Transnasal Esophagoscopy in the Workup of Laryngo-Pharyngeal Reflux

J Clin Med. 2021 Jul 20;10(14):3188. doi: 10.3390/jcm10143188.

Authors

Lukas Horvath¹, Karolos Fostiropoulos², Emanuel Burri³, Marcel Kraft²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital of Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland.
² HNO-Zentrum Beider Basel, 4142 Münchenstein, Switzerland.
³ Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Medical Clinic, Kantonsspital Baselland, 4410 Liestal, Switzerland.

Abstract

Background: Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) can display a variety of symptoms, and upper endoscopy is occasionally used for its investigation. The aim of the present study was to determine the value of transnasal esophagoscopy (TNE) in the workup of LPR.

Methods: In 200 consecutive patients with suspected LPR, reflux symptom index (RSI), reflux finding score (RFS), oropharyngeal pH-monitoring (PHM) and transnasal esophagoscopy (TNE) were carried out and rated according to the Horvath Score.

Results: In the investigation of LPR, TNE showed a sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 96%, 85% and 95%, respectively. The most common pathologic TNE findings in LPR patients were an insufficient cardia, hiatal hernia, lymphoid follicles and visible reflux.

Conclusions: TNE is a supportive method in the workup of LPR, which can display the underlying pathology and directly affect therapeutic decisions.

Keywords: deglutition disorders; endoscopy; esophagoscopy; extraesophageal reflux; gastroesophageal reflux; nose.