Telescopic laryngeal and pharyngeal surgery

Surgery of the hypopharynx and larynx has traditionally been performed with either direct, unaided vision or the operating microscope. We proposed to extend the surgical capability provided by angled Hopkins telescopes to the larynx and hypopharynx. Forty-eight cases in which rigid telescopes were employed primarily for intervention were reviewed. We found significant advantages of the telescopic system when performing procedures on surfaces that were not 90 degrees from the observer, such as the walls of the hypopharynx, the petiole of the epiglottis, the ventricle, and the posterior commissure. Both 30 degree and 70 degree telescopes were found useful, but required complementary instruments. The potassium titanyl phosphate laser's flexible fiber provided a distinct advantage in resecting lesions that presented on vertical surfaces. Telescopes also permitted the use of large instruments designed for intraperitoneal and intrathoracic surgery that blocked the view of the operating microscope. Telescopic pharyngeal and laryngeal visualization allowed surgical procedures complementary to more traditional forms of endoscopic surgery.