CO2 laser surgery in otorhinolaryngology-site and complications: a 10-year experience at Ramathibodi Hospital

To present data on ten years' experience in CO2 laser surgery and associated complications among otorhinolayngologic patients. The study involved examining records of otorhinolaryngologic patients who underwent CO2 laser operations during a 10-year period (July 1, 1986-June 30, 1996). The sample consisted of 733 patients: 370 male and 363 female patients. CO2 laser surgery in otorhinolaryngology was first used in Ramathibodi Hospital on July 10, 1986. These patients were aged 2 months to 93 years with the mean age of 24.3 years (median = 16 years). Among 1,725 operations, 1,570 operations (91%) were performed under general anesthesia and 155 operations (9%) were performed under local anesthesia. In our series, the most frequent sites for laser surgery were as follows: larynx (77.22%), oral cavity and oropharynx (12.64%), skin (5.04%) and nose and paranasal sinuses (3.31%). Intraoperative complications occurred in 18 out of 1,725 (intra-operative complication rate of 1%). Laser-related complications were found in 13 out of 1,725 operations (0.75%) and non laser-related complications were found in 5 out of 1,725 operations (0.25%). There was no mortality. CO2 laser is a useful modality of treatment in otorhinolaryngologic surgery especially in the larynx. Our experience demonstrates the relative low incidence of complications (1%) and no mortality in otorhinolaryngology head and neck surgery.