The use of the carbon dioxide laser in the pediatric airway

Congenital and acquired lesions of the pediatric airway present difficulties in management. Until recently, correction of these problems frequently involved an external approach to the larynx and trachea. Development of fiberoptic instrumentation, as well as the introduction of the Zeiss operating microscope, has now given the surgeon a new means to visualize the larynx and trachea. Soon after its development, the carbon dioxide surgical laser was coupled to these instruments to permit an extremely precise form of tissue excision and ablation. Its unique properties, including an extraordinary hemostatic effect, as well as minimal postoperative edema and scarring, make it an ideal tool for management of lesions of the pediatric airway. It has been employed successfully in the treatment of 177 lesions.