Diode Laser Surgery as a Conservative Management of Hairy Tongue Lesion Resistance to Treatment

Hairy tongue is a furry appearance on the dorsum surface of the tongue with variable colors. This lesion is due to defective shedding of filiform papillae. Various treatments are proposed for this condition like keratolytic agents, surgical procedure with a scalpel, or laser application. In this case study, we reported successful treatment of hairy tongue with a diode laser. The diode laser with wavelength 810 nm, power of 4 watts, a pulse width of 20 milliseconds, and an interval of 20 milliseconds by a 400-micron optical fiber was selected for treatment of this lesion. There was no bleeding during this minimally invasive surgery, and the patient experienced a low level of pain. Loss of taste function was completely resolved. Based on the result of this study, a diode laser can be a good alternative for minimally invasive surgical treatment of hairy tongue.

Voice and Quality-of-Life Outcomes of Diode Laser for Tis–T1a Glottic Cancer

The aim of this prospective study was to analyze the voice and quality-of-life outcomes of microscopic diode laser surgery (MDLS). The study was conducted on a series of 46 patients with Tis–T1a glottic carcinoma treated with microscopic endolaryngeal diode laser surgery. Patients were asked to complete the Voice Handicap Index and quality-of-life questionnaires of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer. When comparing the pre- and postoperative scores, there were significant difference on the physical scores ( P = .014) of the patients who underwent type III cordectomy and functional ( P = .022), emotional ( P = .002), and overall scores ( P = .005) of the patients who underwent type IV cordectomy, in the direction of better quality of voice after MDLS. The postoperative functional, physical, emotional, and overall scores of groups were significantly increased with the extension of resection.