The role of ultrasound in various office-based laryngeal procedures

Ultrasonography is a well-established imaging modality for evaluation of head and neck anatomy. Advantages include that it is painless and well-tolerated by patients, it is a short procedure that can be done in outpatient settings due to its portability, it is radiation-free, it is relatively inexpensive, and does not require the need for sedation or anesthesia. Transcutaneous laryngeal ultrasonography has been shown to be an encouraging noninvasive device in laryngeal examination that may compliment the current gold standard of flexible laryngoscopy. This literature review aims to illustrate the utility of traditional ultrasound to assess vocal fold mobility and use as an adjunct to various laryngeal procedures including vocal cord medialization injections, superior laryngeal nerve blocks, and botulinum toxin injection for muscle hypertonia.