Students' Manual of Diseases of the Nose and Throat (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: extension of the fibrinous formation down the trachea. CHRONIC LARYNGITIS. Definition and Synonyms.?-Under the above head may be described a chronic affection of the larynx, presenting different macroscopic appearances, and with equally different micro- scropic pathological variations. These various states have given rise to such appellations as Chronic Catarrhal Laryngitis, Chronic Glandular or Follicular Laryngitis, Hypertrophic Laryngitis, Atrophic Laryngitis, etc., etc. Lesions.?Usually there is more or less diffused hyperaemia, but some parts may be more affected than others, such as on the vocal cords and at the posterior commissure. Occasionally the mucous membrane may be more pallid than normal, and in a sodden, relaxed condition. There may be more or less swelling, and this is usually unequally distributed. There may be general hypertrophy of the tissue elements, or individual elements may preponderate in the hypertrophy. The glands alone may be most prominently enlarged. The vocal cords are apt to become rough, owing to unequal epithelialdevelopment. Atrophy may be present. Occasional erosion may occur along the free edge of the cords, and especially on the posterior third, where they approximate with most friction. There may be an unnatural deficiency of secretion, or there may be an excessive secretion, usually of a thick, sticky consistency. Symptoms. ?The prominent symptoms of chronic laryngitis are such as pertain to interference with the normal voice. Owing to the mechanical interference of inflammatory infiltration, or to lack of inervation due to interference with the nutrition of the parts, the function of the vocal organ will be variously affected. There may be more or less hoarseness, huski- ness, or even loss of voice. Co-ordination is apt to be s...