[Examination and comparison of new therapeutic methods]

Recently, many kinds of the new therapeutic methods have been developed by modern day scientific technology. There have been various societies dealing with each new therapeutic method, but few reports have attempted to compare these therapies after careful examination. The new therapeutic methods have many good points, but also some drawbacks. No method is perfect. Some 1819 cases of head and neck diseases have been treated by means of cryosurgery at the Clinic of Otolaryngology, Kobe University Hospital since 1968, 583 cases by laser (CO2 and Nd-YAG) since 1979, 42 cases by ultrasonic aspiration surgery since 1979, 34 cases by microwave surgery since 1983, and 56 cases by hyperthermia as of 1980. Examination and comparison between these methods, including the usual scalpel and electric scalpel, have been undertaken on 14 points from both the clinical and experimental aspect. The outstanding advantages of each method have been established. Good results were obtained not only by each method singly but also by many combinations of same, which make the best use of the merits and supply for the deficiencies. In addition to traditional surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and immunotherapy, the author used these new therapies as multidisciplinary treatment. The treatment of maxillary sinus cancers is a typical case.