OBJECTIVE: To compare postoperative voice recovery time of vocal polyps treated with different power levels of CO2 laser and conventional laryngeal microsurgery on vocal polyps. METHOD: Two hundred patients with vocal polyps were randomly divided into four groups, which were respectively treated with conventional laryngeal microsurgery and different power levels of CO2 laser (2 W, 4 W and 6 W) under laryngoscope. The postoperative voice recovery time were analyzed. RESULT: All vocal polyps were resected at one time without any serious complications like dyspnea or bleeding. The postoperative voice recovery time were 7.2 days for the group of patients received conventional laryngeal microsurgery and 7.6 days for the group of patients treated with 2 W CO2 laser, which were hoch significantly different from that in the group of patients treated with 6 W CO2 laser (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION The postoperative recovery time of patients treated with conventional laryngeal microsurgery and small power of CO2 laser is shorter than those operated with the other larger power of CO2 laser.
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Laryngoscopy ; Laser Therapy ; Male ; Microsurgery ; Middle Aged ; Polyps ; surgery ; Postoperative Period ; Recovery of Function ; Vocal Cords ; Young Adult