Pharyngeal reflux is significantly more prevalent in patients with posterior laryngitis than in healthy control subjects. Moreover, a certain degree of pharyngeal reflux appears to be a normal phenomenon. The most common laryngeal finding in patients with posterior laryngitis is thickening or edema of the posterior wall of the glottis. GEPR does not yield specific laryngeal symptoms. Thus, it is unreliable to base the reflux diagnosis on symptoms alone.

The aim of this study was to compare the incidences of extraesophageal reflux in patients with contact granuloma and healthy controls. A 24-hour ambulatory pH monitoring technique was used to measure reflux parameters in the pharynx and distal esophagus. Pharyngeal acid reflux events occurred in 17 of 26 granuloma patients (1 to 20 episodes per patient) and 5 of 19 controls (1 to 8 episodes per subject). The reflux episodes were typically short and occurred predominantly in an upright position. A comparison between the groups showed a significant difference in the number of pharyngeal reflux episodes (p =.009) and in the total time of pH below 4 (p = .006). On the other hand, we found no significant differences in any esophageal reflux parameters, except for the percentage of distal esophageal reflux episodes that reached the pharynx (p = .006). In this study, pharyngeal acid exposure was significantly more prevalent in patients with contact granuloma than in healthy controls.

The recurrence rate after surgery was high. Surgery may prolong the recovery time. Subjective symptoms diminished during voice therapy, but we cannot confirm that it was beneficial for the healing process.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the symptoms and clinical characteristics in patients with autoimmune vocal fold deposits. Fourteen patients underwent videolaryngostroboscopic examination and voice recording. Eleven of the 14 patients underwent rheumatological examination. In all cases, endoscopic examination showed transverse white-yellow band lesions in the middle of the membranous portion of the vocal folds. In most cases, the lesions were bilateral but not exactly opposing each other. The most common voice characteristics were instability and intermittent aphonia. Inflammatory disease was present in 10 patients; five of these had rheumatoid arthritis (RA). No immunological signs common for all patients could be found. The histological examination was consistent with rheumatoid nodules. Vocal fold deposits, occurring most often in patients with RA, is an uncommon cause of hoarseness. Because the patients may have hoarseness as their primary symptom, it is important for otolaryngologists to be familiar with this disorder.