Office-based Blue Laser Therapy of Vocal Fold Polyps: A Cohort of 18 Patients: Blue Laser Therapy of Vocal Fold Polyps

Photoangiolytic Lasers for Treatment of Benign Laryngeal Lesions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVES

To compare the efficacy of the 445-nm blue laser to the 585-nm pulsed dye laser (PDL) and 532-nm potassium-titanyl-phosphate (KTP) laser in the treatment of benign laryngeal lesions.

DATA SOURCES

Cochrane Library, PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL.

REVIEW METHODS

Following PRISMA guidelines, databases were searched from inception through January 29, 2024, for studies reporting the use of photoangiolytic lasers for treatment of benign laryngeal lesions, including the 585-nm PDL, 532-nm KTP laser, and 445-nm blue laser. Outcome measures included lesion resolution (%), mean differences (Δ) in Voice Handicap Index (VHI-10), and summed dysphonia grade, roughness, and breathiness (GRB) scale.

RESULTS

A total of 45 studies were included for meta-analysis, consisting of 348 patients treated with PDL, 550 patients with KTP laser, and 338 patients with blue laser. Treatment with blue laser resulted in the greatest lesion resolution (94.0%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 90.2%-96.7%), followed by KTP laser (90.4%; 95% CI: 84.1%-95.2%), and PDL (86.9%; 95% CI: 62.9%-99.2%). VHI-10 improved significantly in patients following treatment with blue laser (Δ13.3; 95% CI: 10.7-16.0; p < 0.0001), KTP laser (Δ10.3; 95% CI: 7.4-13.3; p < 0.0001), and PDL (Δ7.4; 95% CI: 4.8-10.1; p < 0.0001). GRB improved significantly in patients following treatment with blue laser (Δ4.1; 95% CI: 2.9-5.2; p < 0.0001), KTP laser (Δ3.0; 95% CI: 2.0-4.0; p < 0.0001), and PDL (Δ2.5; 95% CI: 0.8-4.2; p = 0.005).

CONCLUSIONS

Photoangiolytic lasers are effective in treating benign laryngeal lesions. Blue lasers are promising for laryngeal laser surgery. Laryngoscope, 2024.

Office-based blue laser therapy for vocal fold polyps and Reinke's edema: a case study and review of the literature

PURPOSE

To report the efficacy of blue laser in the treatment of vocal fold polyps and Reinke's edema in an office setting.

METHODS

The medical records and video-recordings of patients who underwent office-based blue laser therapy in a tertiary referral center for vocal fold polyps and/or Reinke's edema were reviewed. The primary outcome measures were the Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10) score and disease regression. Acoustic and aerodynamic parameters were also analyzed.

RESULTS

Thirty-five patients (21 with vocal fold polyps and 14 with Reinke's edema) were included and a total of 47 lesions were treated. Out of the 35 patients, 7 patients were lost for follow-up. The mean VHI-10 score dropped significantly after surgery by 17.41 ± 8.67 points (p < 0.001). The endoscopic examinations of 38 lesions were reviewed (17 vocal fold polyps and 21 Reinke's edema) before and up to 6 months after laser therapy. In the subgroup with vocal fold polyps (N = 17), there was complete disease regression in 13 and partial in 4. In the subgroup with Reinke's edema (N = 21), there was complete disease regression in 7 and partial disease regression in 14. For patients with vocal fold polyp, there was a significant decrease in shimmer and a significant increase in maximum phonation time postoperatively. For patients with Reinke's edema, there was a significant decrease in shimmer and noise-to-harmonic ratio following treatment.

CONCLUSION

Office-based blue laser therapy is an effective treatment for vocal fold polyps and Reinke's edema leading to complete or partial disease regression. All patients had improvement in voice quality.

Transoral Flexible Laser Surgery of the Larynx with Blue Laser

INTRODUCTION

Laser surgery of the larynx is currently the standard of clinical practice in a multitude of procedures. Lasers with photoangiolytic properties have a wide application in endolaryngeal lesions. One of their most prominent features is the ability to coagulate blood vessels, reducing unwanted tissue damage. Our objective is to expose the uses of the blue laser (445 nm) in the larynx.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A retrospective study was carried out including 47 patients treated with blue photoangiolytic laser from October 2021 to January 2023 at a university hospital. Demographic data, type of lesion presented, date of intervention and scope of the procedure, as well as the parameters of the laser used, were recorded. The number of sessions received per patient, the result and complications were also collected.

RESULTS

A total of 47 patients with laryngeal lesions were treated, including vascular angiomas, laryngeal sulcus vocali, vocal cord polyps, Reinke's edemas, laryngeal papillomatoses, subglottic stenosis, laryngeal synechiae, subglottic granulomas, glottic scars, vocal fold leukoplakias, laryngeal dysplasias and tracheostomal granulomas. The mean age was 52.5 years, and 64.3% of the patients were women. The range of power used in the resective surgeries was 2-10 Watts with a 20-millisecond window. The average number of sessions received was 2.1 (range 1-4). A satisfactory situation was obtained in 45 of the 47 patients treated (95.75%), and an evident decrease in lesions was seen in the remaining two. There was no evidence of any complications directly derived from the use of the blue laser. Twenty-seven cases (54%) were treated exclusively in-office.

CONCLUSIONS

The blue laser is safe and effective in the treatment of a wide range of laryngeal pathologies. Its advantages include its portability, its photoangiolytic qualities as well as its ability to vaporize tissue in contact mode, which can treat subepithelial vessels or resect lesions.