Diode Laser for Laryngeal Cancer: "980 nm" and Beyond the Classic CO₂

Lasers have been used in otolaryngology for more than 40 years and are widely considered an established way of addressing laryngeal pathology, benign and malignant. Carbon dioxide (CO₂) laser is considered a gold standard, but over the last 2 decades, a new technology has been developed and established in other medical specialties, not so much in Ear Nose and Throat (ENT), the diode laser. It consists of a flexible fiber that passes through a hollow guidance system and is capable of reaching certain angled spots easier than straight beam systems. Portability, lower cost, easier setup, and improved photocoagulation are just some of the many features rendering it an excellent choice for the surgeon and the patient. The few studies published worldwide for the usage and efficacy of this system show no major differences related to the oncologic outcome and survival rate of patients having an early glottic tumor between diode laser microsurgery and CO₂ laser cordectomy. Nevertheless, the advantages offered by fiber-optic laser surgery render it a worthy and perhaps equal alternative for treating this kind of pathology.