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Direct Flexible Laryngoscopy

Cartoon image of a doctor looking in a patients throat by doing a laryngoscopy.At UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, we believe parents and guardians can contribute to the success of this test, and we invite you to participate. Please read the following information to learn about the test and how you can help. 

Fast Facts About Flexible Laryngoscopy

  • Flexible laryngoscopy (lare-en-GOS-ko-pee) is a quick, effective way for the ENT doctor to get a look at your child’s airway, including the nose, the throat and the voice box.
  • Most older children can handle the flexible laryngoscopy, but it can be difficult for very young children to cooperate with the test. If your child is unable to tolerate the flexible laryngoscopy, the doctor might have you schedule an upper aerodigestive tract endoscopy that is done under general anesthesia, which is medication to make your child sleep.
  • Your child’s doctor might order a flexible laryngoscopy if your child has:
    • Problems swallowing, hoarseness or reflux (GERD)
    • Noisy and difficult breathing (stridor) not related to tonsils or asthma
    • Inhaled a foreign object or swallowed a caustic liquid
    • Had a surgery to the nose and/or throat
    • A tumor in his or her airway
    • A neck breathing tube, also called a tracheostomy (tray-kee-OST-oh-mee) or "trach" (TRAKE) tube, to check the size and position
  • In a flexible laryngoscopy, the ENT doctor uses a thin tube with a fiber-optic camera called a "scope" to thoroughly examine the child’s airway, including the larynx (LARE-inks) and the nasal (nose) passages.
  • If your child already has a trach tube in place, the ENT doctor might pass the scope through the trach to look at the lower windpipe and the bronchi (BRONK-eye) to the lungs. This procedure is called a tracheoscopy.
  • The ENT doctor might use a topical anesthetic — a medication applied directly inside the nose to numb it — and/or a decongestant to reduce swelling in the nasal passages for this test.
  • The test takes about 15 minutes.