1998 Volume 20 Issue 6 Pages 509-514
We recently treated three consecutive patients with benign tumors of the trachea by Nd-YAG laser irradiation alone. In patient #1, Nd-YAG laser irradiation vaporized 90% of the tumor. The patient died, however, of widespread recurrence of gastric cancer two years later. Patients #2 and #3 were successfully treated by Nd-YAG laser. The tumors were completely eradicated, and the mucosal repair of the tumor bed seemed thereafter complete. Post treatment follow-up bronchoscopy revealed a good patent tracheal lumen without any evidence of tumor recurrence in either patient. All patients tolerated the entire treatment mostly on an outpatient basis. Bronchoscopic Nd-YAG laser treatment seems to be the radical method of choice for benign endotracheal tumors.
