title: The holmium:YAG laser-assisted otolaryngologic procedures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effectiveness of the holmium: YAG (Ho:YAG) laser in otolaryngologic procedures that necessitate the ablation of osseous and soft tissue.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  Lahey Clinic, Burlington, Mass.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive series of 37 patients; 29 with chronic sinusitis, five with chronic dacryocystitis, one with recurrent choanal stenosis, one with tracheopathia osteoplastica, and one with a sphenoid sinus mucocele.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Ho:YAG laser was used to assist in 37 procedures, including endoscopic sinus surgery, dacryocystorhinostomy, treatment of choanal stenosis, ablation of obstructive tracheopathia osteoplastica, and removal of a sphenoid sinus mucocele.
  
  
  METHODS
  Postsurgical success and complications, satisfaction of the patients, and the ability of the laser to remove tissue.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Complications occurred in eight patients: intranasal or ethmoid scarring (four), persistent polyps (one), bleeding (one), stent dislodgment (one), and tracheitis (one). Three patients required revision surgery. None of the complications were related to use of the laser, although the laser may produce increased scarring. The laser was effective for osseous and soft-tissue ablation, but its usefulness was limited for hemostasis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Ho:YAG laser can be used in otolaryngologic procedures when surgical access is difficult or when controlled, precise ablation of osseous tissue is necessary.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Lahey Clinic, Burlington, Mass, USA.
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Gleich
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Rebeiz
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Pankratov
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Shapshay
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D002754:Choanal Atresia / Q000601:surgery; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000209:etiology; D003607:Dacryocystitis / Q000601:surgery; D003608:Dacryocystorhinostomy; D004724:Endoscopy; D005005:Ethmoid Sinus / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006695:Holmium; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009078:Mucocele / Q000601:surgery; D009298:Nasal Polyps / Q000209:etiology; D009668:Nose Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D009999:Ossification, Heterotopic / Q000601:surgery; D010038:Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D010254:Paranasal Sinus Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000601:surgery; D013101:Sphenoid Sinus / Q000601:surgery; D014133:Tracheal Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D015019:Yttrium
chemical_list: D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D015019:Yttrium; D006695:Holmium