ABSTRACT
Flexible nasopharyngo-laryngoscopy is a valuable tool in the diagnosis of nasopharyngeal, laryngeal and hypopharyngeal pathologies. Previously, the same pathologies were detected by doing examination under general anaesthesia which requires admission and theatre involvement in a busy hospital like Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre, this results in delay of the procedure and put extra burden on already constraint resources. This study was conducted to determine the accuracy of flexible pharyngolaryngoscopy in recording the site and extent of abnormality in outpatient clinic notes when compared to the findings at direct laryngoscopy. This study was conducted at ENT department, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre from 1[st] January 2006 to 31[st] December 2007. Prospective study. 148 patients included in this study were selected with the complains of hoarseness, dysphagia, odynophagia, difficulty in breathing and neck nodes. Flexible nasopharyngo-laryngoscopy done in all cases than patients were admitted in ENT department had undergone direct laryngoscopy under general anaesthesia. The findings of both procedures were compared. Accuracy was found to be 87% when the readings of flexible endoscopy were matched with that of direct laryngoscopy