Lamina propria of the mucosa of benign lesions of the vocal folds.

OBJECTIVE/HYPOTHESIS: To demonstrate a correlation between the duration and specific pattern of trauma of benign lesions of the vocal folds and their histopathologic appearance. Benign lesions of the vocal folds have various macroscopic appearances. Investigations demonstrate characteristic histopathologic features for three clinically well-defined lesions: 1) vocal fold polyps, 2) Reinke edema, and 3) vocal fold nodules. It is expected that additional histological stainings can contribute to additional insight into the pathophysiology of these lesions.

STUDY

DESIGN

Retrospective.

METHODS

Histological stainings were used to study the constitution of the lamina propria of the mucosa: Verhoeff-van Gieson, Masson trichrome, alcian blue and alcian blue after pretreatment with hyaluronidase.

RESULTS

Estimation of the age of a lesion was not possible. Specific observations: 1) accumulation of hyaluronic acid around vessels occurred uniquely in polyps and 2) transverse orientation of elastic fibers was more often seen in vocal fold nodules. Combinations of histopathologic findings were specific to the lesion.

CONCLUSIONS

The additional stainings support our previous observations, but had no additional discriminating value in making a histopathologic diagnosis.