Our Speech and Language colleagues have been running nasendoscopy clinics for the last 12 months providing swifter and more streamlined care pathways for our patients.

It means some patients can have their investigations by the therapists and avoids the need to be referred back to Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) clinics which could prolong their treatment.

A nasendoscopy is a test to look at the inside of the nose, the throat (pharynx) and the voicebox (larynx). A therapist passes a thin flexible tube called an naso-endoscope through the nose, down to the voice box. (see photo) The tube has a camera and a light at the end and allows them to check for any abnormality and asses how well the vocal cords vibrate. 

Our therapists Aysha Tai and colleague Nicola Pyne – pictured -  have been carrying out the service and so far around 46 patients have been seen this year.

Aysha said: “At one point we used to send our patients back to ENT for this procedure. This service means we can save ENT appointments and also improve our therapy which is much better for our patients.

“It also means a much more personalised service. Patients can visualise their vocal cords and we can reassure there and then without the need to refer back into ENT in many cases.”

In a nutshell the procedure helps the team and our patients in several ways. It allows us to:

• trial voice therapy exercises and assess laryngeal postures during phonation 

• provide a visual feedback tool during voice therapy  

• ensure appropriate treatment for the presenting disorder

• simplify the patient pathway

• reduce therapy time

• improve patient outcomes!