Oncological and functional outcome after transoral 532-nm pulsed potassium-titanyl-phosphate laser surgery for T1a glottic carcinoma

The major concerns related to transoral laser surgery (TLS) for T1a glottic carcinoma are disease control and postoperative voice. This study examines the efficacy of the excision and ablation strategy of TLS using the 532-nm pulsed potassium-titanyl-phosphate (KTP) laser as an alternative to the conventional carbon dioxide (CO2) laser in treating T1a glottis carcinoma. The tumor was excised using KTP laser, followed by circumferential ablation of the mucosa surrounding the surgical margin in a non-contact manner using the KTP laser. Local control was obtained in 22 of 24 patients (91.7 %). Mean scores on Voice-Related Quality of Life questionnaire (V-RQOL) and the Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10) were 81.0 and 6.2, respectively. A highly significant correlation was observed between scores of V-RQOL and adjusted VHI-10 (r = 0.96). TLS with a KTP laser for early glottic carcinoma achieved acceptable local control and postoperative voice comparable to those with a CO2 laser reported in the literature, suggesting that the procedure based on an excision and ablation strategy can be considered oncologically and functionally acceptable for this lesion.