title: Laryngeal chondrosarcoma: repeated laser and radiofrequency ablation in the palliative setting.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this article is to illustrate the use of radiofrequency and laser ablation in head and neck oncology and to describe the management of a case of laryngeal chondrosarcoma in a 90-year-old patient.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 90-year-old man, WHO performance status 3, with low-grade laryngeal chondrosarcoma was seen in the outpatients department at the end of 2008 for assessment of dysphonia. Total laryngectomy was considered to be too invasive and was consequently excluded. The patient was initially tracheotomized under local anaesthesia to relieve dyspnoea and was subsequently managed symptomatically by radiofrequency and laser ablation to ensure laryngeal disobstruction, allowing the patient to be extubated followed by speech therapy and oral feeding rehabilitation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This patient received symptomatic palliative treatment with a combination of radiofrequency and laser. Radiofrequency ablation can be applied in head and neck oncology as an alternative treatment to surgery allowing improvement of quality of life and survival.
authors.affiliation: Service d'oto-rhino-laryngologie et de chirurgie cervico-faciale, centre Alexis-Vautrin, 6, avenue de Bourgogne, 54500 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Perrot
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cortese
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Eluecque
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mastronicola
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sergeant
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marchal
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Demet
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dolivet
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D002813:Chondrosarcoma / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D010166:Palliative Care; D013070:Speech Therapy