[Wound healing following laser cordectomy for early glottic carcinoma]

To study the wound healing following CO2 laser microsurgery for early glottic cancer, and to evaluate the treatment outcomes and cost-effectiveness of microsurgery, open surgery and radiotherapy for early glottic cancer.

Thirty-six patients with early glottic carcinoma (T1-T2) treated by transoral CO2 laser microsurgery from January 2011 to June 2014 were observed, and 112 patients undergoing open approach and 27 receiving radiotherapy from January 2008 to June 2014 in our hospital were used as control. The wound healing process, the hospital stay, the cost, the oncologic and functional results were evaluated.

The mean time of laryngeal mucous membrane stabilization in morphology was 93 days, less than 120 days in 91% cases. The average score of VHI-10 was 5.9, which was better in the cases with T1 than the cases with T2, and was worse in cases with the anterior commissure involvement. Transoral CO2 laser microsurgery offered a similar oncologic result, shorter hospital stay and lower cost compared with open surgery or radiotherapy.

The transoral laser surgery could be a better choice for early glottic carcinoma because of good oncologic and functional results and less cost.