The Taub Oral Panendoscope: A New Technique

Abstract

In order to advance the present body of knowledge of the multidimen-sional facets of the structures involved in speech production, it is neces— sary to provide a method for direct observation of the velopharyngeal and laryngeal areas during phonation. Our knowledge can be further enhanced by simultaneously recording the sights and sounds of phonation for later definitive analysis and interpretation in conjunction with, and in light of, other established methods. We have designed an oral panendoscope that more than adequately provides for direct observation of velopharyngeal and laryngeal areas during phonation and facilitates the simultaneous audiovisual recording of the speech mechanism. Conventional x-ray technique is of limited usefulness in studying velo-pharyngeal and laryngeal structures since only one plane, in two dimen— sions, can be viewed at a time. Even if structural relationships of such structures could be dynamically viewed in planes other than those obtained from lateral X-ray studies, the surface anatomy with all its subtle muscular movements and sphincter-like action would go unnoticed. Because of the inherent inability to record surface phenomena by x-ray methodology, gaps in our knowledge of the speech mechanism still exist. Direct observation of the soft palate and posterior pharynx and their function were first reported in 1836, in which Hilton observed palatal activity in a patient who had a large defect of the face following spontaneous separation of a large, bony tumor (1). Similar observations have been made of the soft palate and pharynx, at rest and during speech. While such cases are interesting, they contribute little to our understand— ing of speech pathology because of the general condition of the patient and the severity of the anatomical and physiological distortion. Various optical instruments have been employed for the visual examination of cavities of the body, but these possess numerous drawbacks and disadvantages, particularly when applied to the direct visual observation and photography of the velopharyngeal and laryngeal areas during phona-tion.