Feasibility of Prototype Curved Forceps for Endoscopic Laryngo-pharyngeal Surgery

Abstract

Endoscopic laryngo-pharyngeal surgery(ELPS) was developed for superficial cancers of the pharynx or larynx in Japan. This method requires some special instruments, including a malleable electrocautery and curved forceps. The existing curved forceps come fall short in achieving some of our needs with regard to grip force and other requirements. Thus, we developed a curved forceps prototype for ELPS. The forceps is bent at the tip to allow the operator to reach any part of the field of view exposed with a curved direct laryngoscope. Furthermore, they have improved grip force in comparison to existing forceps models. They seemed to be more feasible for ELPS than existing forceps models.