Description

The purpose of this work is to review the current knowledge of laryngeal pathology in the light of my experience at the Institute of Laryngology and Otology, London. The role of histopathological investigations in the care of patients with diseases of the larynx is given special consideration. Radiologi- cal study of the larynx has become more refined in recent years with the introduction of computerised tomography. Microlaryngoscopy with biopsy of the interior of the larynx is now a frequent procedure in the diagnosis of laryngeal disease. In the effort to interpret the findings resulting from these methods, the need for a monograph outlining the pathological basis of laryngeal disorders has arisen. To the best of my knowledge, such a work, devoted to the pathology of the larynx only, has never been written; a modern study in this field is certainly not available. I have aimed the text towards the practising pathologist in order to give it the broadest scope. It was necessary, therefore, to include an account of the basic anatomy of the larynx. For this purpose (and in subsequent descriptions throughout the book) I have not used the formal anatomical terminology for the two folds on either side of the ventricle of the larynx. There is some variation in the use of these terms, and they are not yet completely in general use.