Otorhinolaryngological surgery with a laser

  Today, ENT diseases are one of the most common. It is almost impossible to find a person who did not have tonsillitis or tonsillitis. First of all, the doctor who discovered the ENT disease prescribes medication. But medications may not bring significant benefits due to the insufficient effect or chronic nature of the disease. In such cases, one has to resort to ENT surgery. Currently, traditional conservative invasive methods are being actively replaced by modern laser techniques for surgery. The basic principle of the laser beam is to treat the affected area with high-intensity radiation. Despite the high density of laser radiation, the treatment of tonsillitis with a laser is a fairly safe operation. The cauterizing effect of the laser beam is exerted on the mucous membrane of the glands, due to which the tissue heats up in the surface layer and a thin layer of dead cells is formed, which independently disappear a few days after cell regeneration. Laser therapy has both anti-inflammatory and hemostatic effects, which minimizes the recurrence rate of complications.

The benefits of using lasers in ENT surgery

Laser ENT surgery has the following advantages:

1. Easy portability of operations.
2. Lack of pain.
3. No complications during the postoperative period.
4. It does not require additional therapy.

Using laser radiation can cure almost all known diseases of the ear, throat and nose. In particular, a laser in otolaryngology can be indicated for the treatment of the following diseases:

1. Ronchopathy (snoring),
2. Curvature of the nasal septum,
3. Polyps of the nasal cavity and sinuses,
4. Tonsillitis (and in chronic form),
5. Sinusitis
6. Rhinitis (including vasomotor), etc.

Contraindications of the use of lasers in ENT surgery

However, as in any field of laser medicine, there are certain contraindications:

1. Pregnancy (sometimes lactation),
2. Epilepsy,
3. Poor blood coagulation
4. Diabetes,
5. Malignant neoplasms,
6. Low blood pressure.

What lasers are used in ENT surgery

The following lasers are widely used in laser ENT surgery:

• A neodymium surgical laser with a wavelength of 1,064 nm is used in the surgical treatment of laryngeal neoplasms, recurrent nasal polyposis, and ronchopathy.
• Erbium laser with a wavelength of 2,940 nm – in the surgical treatment of cicatricial fusion and vascular masses.
• CO2 (carbon dioxide) laser with a wavelength of 10 600 nm – in the surgical treatment of facial skin, head, keloid scars, nasal polyposis, recurrent nosebleeds, etc.

All of the presented types of medical lasers have proven their effectiveness and therefore the choice of a specific laser system depends on the type of procedure being performed and the capabilities of the medical center.