ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The objective of the current study was to compare the outcomes of rigid endoscopic procedures with those of pre-operative flexible nasoendoscopy. METHODS: A total of 253 patients who had undergone rigid endoscopic examination under anaesthesia between 6 January 2010 and 31 August 2011 were identified. Their clinical, surgical and histological records were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 213 patients had a flexible nasoendoscopic procedure performed and recorded pre-operatively, and 82 in this cohort had a specific lesion or area of concern identified. There were 21 confirmed malignant biopsy results, the majority of which were squamous cell carcinoma. No patient with a negative pre-operative endoscopy had a malignant lesion discovered on endoscopic biopsy. The sensitivity and specificity of pre-operative nasoendoscopy were 100 per cent and 66.3 per cent, respectively. CONCLUSION: Diagnostic rigid endoscopic examination of the upper aerodigestive tract remains an important tool for excluding malignancy in high-risk patients, but is an unnecessary procedure in those low-risk patients with normal pre-operative findings.
