[Vocal function after cordectomy (traditional surgical treatment vs CO2 laser): a comparative objective-instrumental...

Concerning the wider use of the CO2 laser in the treatment of laryngeal diseases, the Authors, in a comparative study based on an objective-instrumental evaluation, evaluated residual vocal function after traditional surgical treatment (chordectomy) vs. CO2 laser treatment. Forty-one patients treated for T1a glottic carcinoma (U.I.C.C. 1987) in last 8 years were examined Vocal function following CO2 laser surgery was evaluated in 17 patients (16 males and 1 female, aged between 38 and 78, with an average age of 53) and compared to vocal function of 24 patients treated with traditional chordectomy (23 males and 1 female, aged between 51 and 73, with an average age of 58). All patients showed a minimum follow-up of 30 months and none, at the time of evaluation, had undergone phonatory re-education. Glottic functionality evaluation was performed as follows: Evaluation of anatomical and functional results by means of a rigid fiberoptic laryngoscopy and subsequent photographic documentation for successive comparative evaluation. Evaluation of residual voice quality by phoniatricians otorhinolaryngologists and the patients themselves. Recording and electroacoustic analysis of some vocal samples. Laryngeal objectivity of surgical results were constantly related to subjective and instrumental voice evaluation. Phonatory results in patients treated with CO2 laser were better than those found in patients treated with traditional chordectomy.