Surgical treatment of large epiglottic cysts with a side-opened direct laryngoscope and snare.

Two cases of large epiglottic cysts are reported. Histopathological examination revealed a retention cyst in one case and an epidermoid cyst in the other. We designed a side-opened direct larngoscope and snare for treating epiglottic cysts. This direct laryngoscope is characterized by an opening from the anterior tip to the posterior end of the right side. The removal of the cysts was accomplished by using this direct laryngoscope and a snare under inhalation anesthesia by fiber optic guided endotracheal intubation. The side-opened direct laryngoscope enabled easy insertion of the snare through the right side opening.