CAN ENDOSCOPIC LASER SURGERY BE PERFORMED FOR A DEVIATED SEPTUM AS IT CAN
BE FOR THE SINUS CAVITIES?
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE.
Reply: ---------------------------
I have extensive experience with the use of lasers in otolaryngologic surgery and have yet to find any significant advantage in using lasers for sinus surgery nor in correction of a deviated septum. That is not to say that there is no advantage for using lasers in any type of nasal surgery however. For example, I feel that certain lasers (KTP or Yag) offer significant advantages in turbinate reduction surgery. To specifically answer your question though, yes, lasers can and have been used for sinus surgery and even nasal septal surgery (although in the latter case I have yet to understand why) - but outside of a few specific exceptions, lasers generally offer no significant advantages in such surgery. Nevertheless, I often will see advertisements in hospital marketing campaigns or yellow pages regarding laser sinus surgery - this is strictly marketing strategy which feeds on the apparent misperception in the general public that the use of lasers in sinus surgery is a sine qua non of "state of the art" sinus surgery - not necessarily.
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Steve Dankle, MD
Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Milwaukee, Wis
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