Pioneering Laryngeal Laser Surgery Performed in Doctor’s Office Found Superior to Surgery Requiring General Anesthesia

NEW YORK-- A pioneering laser surgery that can be done in a doctor's office without general anesthesia for the treatment of common laryngeal and tracheal conditions such as papillomas and granulomas. The new procedure has fewer complications and quicker recovery than traditional surgery performed in a hospital operating room with general anesthesia, according to a study published in the latest issue of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.

Presenting data from 443 procedures over a four-year period, the study is the largest clinical report to date of Unsedated Office-based Laser Surgery (UOLS), a procedure that so far is only available at a few major medical centers and private surgical practices. UOLS procedures can be performed in 15 to 45 minutes, are associated with only minor discomfort, and then patients can immediately resume normal activity. By comparison, traditional laryngeal surgical procedures performed in the operating room of a hospital under general anesthesia can cost the patient two days away from their daily routine, especially in cases where an overnight stay in the hospital is required. The UOLS procedure costs about $3,000, compared to the approximate $10,000 cost for the older, conventional, hospital-based procedure.

According to the study, UOLS patients experienced greatly shortened treatment and recovery times. In addition, fewer than one percent of UOLS patients experienced post-operative complications, all minor, compared to the hospital-based procedure's complication rate of three percent.

"Our findings show that unsedated office-based laser surgery is a safe and preferable alternative to the more invasive and costly surgical procedures in hospitals that require that the patient be put to sleep," said Dr. Jamie Koufman, a specialist in the diagnosis and treatment of voice disorders and the lead investigator of the UOLS report. "Given that the UOLS is significantly less costly, insurance companies should now be prepared to cover it. In addition to a patient preference for UOLS, it saves time and money for everyone. As the technology spreads, the national cost savings will eventually be measured in the billions of dollars."

Approximately two percent of American adults suffer with some form of voice or speech disorder. Koufman estimated that laryngeal growths suitable for UOLS, including nodules, polyps, cysts, and warts, are seen in as many as 20 percent of patients with voice problems. Fortunately, most causes of voice disorders can be effectively treated.

In addition to Koufman, the founder and director of the Voice Institute of New York, the study's investigators included: Drs. Catherine Rees, William Frazier, Lauren Kilpatrick, and S. Carter Wright of WakeForestUniversity; Dr. Stacey Halum of the University of Indiana; and Dr. Gregory Postma of the Medical College of Georgia.

Source: Voice Institute of New York

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