585-nm pulsed dye laser treatment of glottal dysplasia

Management of glottal dysplasia can be difficult and often results in a suboptimal treatment outcome. The surgeon and patient must cooperatively balance decisions regarding the effects of possible malignancy, vocal dysfunction, and recurrences leading to multiple use of general anesthetics. A pilot study was done in 57 cases (36 patients and 97 vocal folds) without complication to evaluate the effectiveness of a 585-nm pulsed dye laser (PDL; 450-micros pulse width, 19 to 76-J/cm2 fluence, 1- to 2-mm spot size) in the treatment of vocal fold keratosis. Forty of the 57 cases had bilateral treatment. Phonomicrosurgical resection was done in 35 of the 57 cases after PDL treatment. Of this group, 10 cases were found to have hyperplasia, 21 dysplasia, 4 carcinoma in situ, and 1 carcinoma. One patient had phonomicrosurgical resection before PDL treatment. In 21 of the 57 cases, the disease was irradiated without resection (4 unilateral lesions and 17 bilateral lesions). Approximately 80% of the patients in this series had a greater than 70% reduction in the size of the lesion with the use of the PDL irrespective of whether they underwent resection. Clinical observation revealed no new anterior commissure web formation despite bilateral anterior commissure treatment in 28 of the 57 cases. The PDL enhanced the epithelial excision by improving hemostasis and by creating an optimal dissection plane between the basement membrane and the underlying superficial lamina propria. In this initial trial, the PDL provided relatively safe and effective treatment for glottal dysplasia. Analysis of patterns of recurrence will require longer follow-up.