Trumpet maneuver for visual and CT examination of the pyriform sinus and retrocricoid area.

The trumpet maneuver, a technique to inflate the hypopharynx with air, allows visualization of the pyriform sinuses and retrocricoid area during both fiberoptic examination and CT scanning. The technique is useful in delineating both normal and abnormal anatomy, and is especially useful in the evaluation of patients with hypopharyngeal symptoms in whom there is a low suspicion of anatomic disease. The methods, endoscopic photographs, and CT scan images are presented.