Idiopathic Ulcerative Laryngitis (IUL): An Indian Perspective

Idiopathic ulcerative laryngitis (IUL) is characterized by bilateral ulceration of vocal cords which is followed by a protracted course of healing. It is rarely diagnosed, with a paucity of published data in English literature. There is no published data on this topic in the Indian population. Twenty-one patients from 3 centres were prospectively evaluated for clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up. All patients underwent fibreoptic laryngoscopic evaluation and stroboscopic assessment. They were treated with supportive care and stringent follow-up. 21 patients with a median age of 39 years were included. This condition was commonly seen in males. All patients were treated conservatively except two who underwent a biopsy. The average time for full recovery in 14 of our patients who had compliant follow-ups was 9.24 weeks. GRBAS score improved from 9 to 5.93(p < 0.0001). Self-reported voice outcomes improved in all patients except for one patient who had a biopsy. IUL is uncommon but not rare in the Indian population. It shows full recovery with conservative management that involves at least more than 3–4 weeks.