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When viewing the larynx with a rigid endoscope, my tendency has always been to place the camera on the endoscope such that the vocal cords are viewed in a vertical position. However, what matters for resolution is the number of pixels that the pathology fills up on the camera. Since voice disorders are always related to the vibrating edge of the vocal cords, the high definition format, 1080i uses up 1920 x 1080 pixels and placing the edge of the vocal cords along the axis of the 1080 pixels wastes much of the viewing frame.

This gentleman had a squamous cell carcinoma or cancer of the right vocal cord. He had only smoked 2 cigarettes per year, so it is unlikely the tobacco had much to do with his cancer. As bad as this looks, it was possible to appeal this cancer off the vocal cord. It had not grown into the vocal cord. After removal, the right vocal cord was very stiff, but his voice returned to normal since the left vocal cord could vibrate normally. In the bottom photo, taken over one year after surgery, his right vocal cord has a fairly normal structure.

So you think you would like to smoke cigarettes? Here is what smoking cigarettes for 30 years did to one person's larynx. See if you can actually see the vocal cords. This is what squamous cell carcinoma looks like when it grows on the surface of the vocal cords. The large pink area on the left is the left false vocal cord. It likely has tumor given its irregular surface appearance. The white rough area in the middle of the photo is the left vocal cord which is almost completely replaced by cancer. The right and left vocal cords have almost grown together with the cancer.

Someone sent me a link today saying I had made the U.S. News & World Report "Top doctors list". That seemed like a very nice compliment given that the nomination had come from my peers.

I am having the opportunity to compare images using the Pentax standard definition endoscope VNL-1170K and the high-definition VNL-1590STi. This patient has amyloid depositions in the vocal cords. They cause a stiffening of the vocal cord and allow air to leak out.

Pentax High Definition video endoscope VNL-1590STi

I recently purchased the Pentax High Definition video endoscope VNL-1590STi and I thought I would compare it to my older version video endoscope, model VNL-1170K. Both are high-quality. The VNL-1170K has a resolution of 720 x 480 pixels. The VNL-1590STi is being captured at 720p with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels.