title: [Use of YAG laser combined with mucosal suturing for the treatment of polypoid vocal cord].
abstract: To improve low-pitched voices in cases with polypoid vocal cords, YAG laser irradiation combined with a mucosal suturing technique was attempted in 9 female cases with severe polypoid changes in their vocal cords. A YAG laser beam (5 to 10 W) was used to irradiate the upper surface of the polypoid vocal cord. The polypoid content of the cord was gradually coagulated, and the free edge of the cord appeared to slide up toward the burned area. The polypoid content was then removed and squeezed through an open wound made in the burned area using a conventional method. Bleeding was successfully controlled using the laser. After the excessive mucosal margin was trimmed and the contour of the vocal cord was adjusted, the wound was closed by 7-0 monofilament absorbable suture. Suturing was relatively easy because the mucosal edge was also coagulated. Postoperative evaluations of voice quality revealed an improvement in the GRBAS scale of voice quality as well as an elevation in voice pitch and an upwards shift in the voice range in all cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara.
authors.forename: Kouichirou
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishiyama
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hirose
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iguchi
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Masaki
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kamijo
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ino
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yamanaka
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Makito
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okamoto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007820:Laryngeal Mucosa / Q000601:surgery; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011127:Polyps / Q000473:pathology; D013536:Suture Techniques; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*