[Laser surgery in the treatment of bilateral vocal cord paralysis]

The introduction of surgical lasers into microsurgery of the larynx has made the resection of the posterior vocal cord with or without the arytenoid cartilage possible. This method of surgical treatment allows one to carry out a fast, non-open larynx procedure and practically bloodless operation with minimal postoperative trauma and edema of the surrounding tissues. Since November 1990 at the Clinic of Otolaryngology of the University School of Medical Sciences 48 arytenoidectomies (40 on the right side, 8 on the left side), 19 partial chordectomies and 25 Kashima operations. All surgical treatment were performed by means of CO2 laser in patients with bilateral paralysis of the vocal cords. In all patients postoperative recovery was correct and breathing difficulties were not observed after extubation. Laryngoscopic control examinations were performed a day after operation and a wide lumen of air through the operative field was observed. At the control examination, narrowing of the lumen of the larynx was not observed, the healing process of the operation area was without granulation. Laser arytenoidectomy allows good results of the breathing and phonation function. No changes of granulation proliferation were observed at the side of the CO2 laser treatment. Lack of reaction to laser beam there was possibility to use endoscopic procedures in patients who did not undergo a tracheotomy.