Laser surgery of the vocal cord

A total of 1032 vocal cord operations have been performed by means of CO2 laser in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery of the Semmelweis University of Medicine in Budapest in the past 10 years. There were 687 benign cases and 345 malignant cases of lesions discovered. The procedures were performed under general anesthesia in many instances with jet narcosis--in laryngomicroscopic exposure. The operations were preceded by careful objective diagnostics, such as videolaryngostroboscopy, fiberoscopy, voice analysis, airflow and resistance measurements, while the voice and breathing functions were monitored postoperatively. Our policy in the therapy of the benign lesions was always to use a minimally invasive technique, avoiding damage to the anterior commissure, the vocal ligament and the subglottic space. We have experienced a 3-year survival rate in 87% of the patients with vocal cord carcinomas. According to the results of the past 10 years it is proven that the CO2 laser technique is an efficient method as well in the surgery of the benign and malignant vocal cord lesions, as in the bilateral vocal cord paralysis. Laser surgery might also prevent malignant transformation in precancerous vocal cord diseases.