A Histological and Clinical Study of CO₂ Laser Surgery in Otolaryngology

Since 1981, a histological and clinical study of CO₂ laser surgery has been performed in the Department of Otolaryngology at Fujita-Gakuen University School of Medicine. The results are as follows. I. Histological study (1) A histological study was performed light and electron microscopically after the irradiation of CO₂ laser beams on the human tongue. (2) A crater-shaped tissue loss caused by rapid vaporization of the water component of the tissue was produced by the stationary irradiation of CO₂ laser beams. (3) Intracellular destruction was marked in the tissue receiving irradiation of CO₂ laser beams while the circumference of the tissue which had been irradiated was almost free from the influence of irradiation. II. Clinical study (1) CO₂ laser surgery was performed on 26 cases composed of head and neck malignancies, benign tumors and the laryngeal web. (2) COz laser surgery was not only extremely useful for papillomas of the larynx and lip and hemangiomas of the tongue and larynx, but also for the laryngeal web. (3) It seemed that CO₂ laser surgery should be carefully selected for malignant tumors. (4) The influence of irradiation of CO₂ laser beams on tissues was local and bleeding was generally negligible. (5) Postoperative pain from CO₂ laser surgery was generally slight and wound healing was relatively rapid.