Office-based laryngeal laser surgery with the 532-nm pulsed-potassium-titanyl-phosphate laser.
OBJECTIVE
Office-based laryngeal laser surgery is a recent innovation. It is emerging as a reliable and practical method of treating a number of laryngeal lesions, which is increasingly popular in the US and abroad. The 532-nm pulsed-potassium-titanyl-phosphate laser has become our laser of choice in treating vocal-fold lesions and diseases for a number of transparent and practical reasons.


RESULTS
Fiber-based lasers and distal-chip flexible endoscopy have facilitated a new style of surgery. Epithelial diseases such as dysplasia and papillomatosis are well suited for this treatment. Although the initial angiolytic laser used in the larynx was a 585-nm pulsed-dye laser, the solid-state 532-nm pulsed-potassium-titanyl-phosphate laser has been demonstrated to be more effective clinically, more reliable structurally and less expensive.


CONCLUSIONS
Technologies to enhance laryngoscopic imaging and lasers, along with socioeconomic forces, should lead to increasing numbers of laryngeal procedures being done in the office with local anesthesia. The 532-nm pulsed-potassium-titanyl-phosphate laser has emerged thus far as the optimal technology for treating phonatory mucosa although further development is likely.
Zeitels
Steven M
SM
Harvard Medical School, Center for Laryngeal Surgery and Voice Rehabilitation, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA. zeitels.steven@mgh.harvard.edu
Burns
James A
JA
D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures; D006801:Humans; D007818:Laryngeal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D007830:Larynx / Q000601:surgery*; D054025:Lasers, Dye; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State