Office-based laryngeal laser surgery with local anesthesia

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Office-based laryngeal laser surgery was created recently and is emerging as a reliable and practical method of treating a number of laryngeal lesions. This style of minimally invasive surgery is becoming increasingly popular in the United States and abroad. RECENT FINDINGS: Fiber-based lasers and distal-chip flexible endoscopy have facilitated a new style of surgery. Epithelial diseases such as dysplasia and papillomatosis are well suited for treatment. Although the initial angiolytic laser used was a 585-nm pulsed-dye laser, the 532-nm pulsed-potassium-titanyl-phosphate laser has been demonstrated to be more effective. The 2013-nm Thulium laser shows promise as an office-based laser that simulates the properties of the carbon dioxide laser. SUMMARY: Evolving technologies to enhance laryngoscopic imaging and lasers along with socioeconomic forces should lead to increasing numbers of laryngeal procedures being performed in the office with local anesthesia.