About
The KTP laser has the advantage of being delivered through a small, flexible glass fiber, which can be inserted through a channel of specialized flexible laryngoscope which is then placed through the nose of a fully awake patient. After sufficient topical anesthetic is administered to the nose, throat, and larynx, the KTP laser can be used to treat small amounts of disease along the vocal cords. This can be tremendously valuable in treating certain types of chronic laryngeal pathologies like recurrent respiratory papillomatosis and vocal cord dysplasia, which can require multiple treatments over time. For patients who are appropriate candidates, office-based KTP laser surgery can reduce the need for repeated general anesthesias, after disease is first optimally controlled in the operating room, where precision is admittedly better since the vocal cords are not a moving target.