Office-based potassium titanyl phosphate laser-assisted endoscopic vocal polypectomy

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Laser Surgery
• Voice Disorders

Background:

• Vocal polyps are common laryngeal lesions often requiring surgery under general anesthesia.
• Office-based procedures offer an alternative to traditional surgery.
• Flexible endoscopic guidance allows for minimally invasive interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of combining potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) laser treatment with endoscopic polyp removal in an outpatient setting.
• To assess the clinical applicability and treatment outcomes of KTP laser-assisted vocal polypectomy.

Main Methods:

• A case series involving 36 outpatients with unilateral hemorrhagic vocal polyps.
• Interventions included KTP laser photocoagulation and endoscopic polypectomy under local anesthesia.
• Outcomes were assessed using videolaryngostroboscopy, maximal phonation time, voice handicap index, and acoustic/perceptual analyses.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements in mucosal wave, maximal phonation time, and voice handicap index were observed post-treatment.
• Both KTP laser treatment and KTP laser-assisted polypectomy showed significant voice improvements.
• No significant adverse effects were reported during the follow-up period.

Conclusions:

• KTP laser-assisted vocal polypectomy is a safe, practical, and effective outpatient treatment for hemorrhagic vocal polyps.
• This procedure offers comparable therapeutic effects to KTP laser alone, with earlier benefits.
• It presents a viable alternative to surgery under general anesthesia.