Sentinel Nodule in Unilateral Vocal Fold Lesion

Benign vocal lesions are non-malignant growths of abnormal tissue on the vocal cords. Several factors can be responsible for the development of benign vocal lesions such as vocal abuse, overuse or misuse of voice, chronic infections of upper airway, allergy, smoking and gastroesophageal reflux. To estimate the prevalence of sentinel nodule and its correlation to site and size of vocal fold polyp and cyst. This study was conducted to analyze the presence of reactive lesions in unilateral vocal fold lesion especially vocal fold polyp and cyst, its histological type and to detect the effect of size, site and type of vocal fold polyp or cyst on the contralateral (sentile nodule). This study was conducted on 30 randomly selected patients divided into 2 groups: Group (1) including 20 patients with unilateral vocal fold polyp. Group (2) including 10 patients with unilateral vocal fold cyst. The results revealed that contralateral nodule more with vocal fold polyp than vocal fold cyst. According to polyp size, contralateral nodule presents more in large vocal fold polyp than small. According to polyp type, contralateral nodule presents more in fibroid vocal fold polyp than myxoid and angiomatoid polyp. In this study it found that sentinel nodule is presented with unilateral vocal fold polyp and cyst as reactive lesion on contralateral side of lesion. Size and histopathological type of vocal fold polyp affect the presence of sentinel nodule as it is present more with large polyp and fibroid polyp.