Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 14, 2025
Learning Modern Laryngeal Surgery in a Dissection Laboratory
Published on: March 18, 2020
Blue Light Laser in Laryngology: Emerging Practice Patterns and Treatment Paradigms in North America
Stephanie E Teng1, Lauren E Schlegel1, Alexa J Kacin1
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Division of Otolaryngology, Department of Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA.
Objectives:
The 445 nm blue light laser (BL) was introduced to provide photoangiolytic, ablative, and cutting capabilities for laryngological applications. Since U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval in 2021, limited data exist examining usage in the United States. Here we characterize early practice patterns of BL use by laryngologists in North America.
Methods:
A fifteen-item survey queried for pathologies treated with BL and associated laser parameters, fiber-to-tissue modality, and intended tissue effect. Respondents were asked to categorize common end-tissue effects as perceived strengths or weaknesses of BL.
Results:
There were 21 respondents utilizing BL in clinical practice, with 22 total respondents out of 48 recipients identified as owning/renting the laser. The majority practiced in an academic setting (n = 17), both in office (n = 15) and operating room (n = 19) locations. Laser settings for wattage, pulse width, and pulse pause varied widely. The laser was most frequently used for papilloma (n = 17), leukoplakia (n = 15), and Reinke's edema (n = 11). Treatment paradigms most often involved both contact/non-contact mode (n = 15) for tissue ablation (n = 14) with papilloma, non-contact (n = 8) for tissue ablation (n = 10) with leukoplakia, and non-contact (n = 9) for epithelial blanching (n = 7) with Reinke's edema. The majority of respondents found tissue ablation (n = 15) and angiolysis (n = 11) to be strengths and cutting capability (n = 12) to be a weakness.
Conclusions:
Survey for BL use in North American laryngology practice reveals pathology-specific treatment paradigms. The most common usage was for papilloma, leukoplakia, and Reinke's edema, consistent with the perceived strength in ablative and angiolytic properties. Laser parameters varied widely and is one avenue for future systematic investigation. However, when attempting to using the laser in a cutting modality, there was a trend towards using higher wattages (>6 W) and in a "contact" modality.
