Benign tumors and lesions of the larynx in children. Surgical excision by CO2 laser.

Benign lesions of the airway in infants and children may endanger the airway and compromise laryngeal function. The CO2 laser provides an elegant method of transoral surgical excision without compromising laryngeal function or airway competence. It avoids the risks of such other treatment modalities as external surgical approaches, prolonged steroid therapy, and radiation. It is applicable to a wide variety of lesions without the necessity of tracheotomy. Hospitalization is minimized. Ten cases are presented to show the wide applicability of this technique. Gross pathology and pre- and postoperative findings are demonstrated and discussed, as is the safety and efficacy of the laser soft-tissue interaction.