Safe anesthesia for endoscopic laryngeal laser surgery

Anesthesia safety for endoscopic laryngeal laser surgery has been a major limiting factor for laser applications in the larynx and the hypopharynx. Several anesthesia techniques have been proposed and each technique appears to have its own limitations. This paper will deal with the distinct advantages offered by the malleable copper tube which is used for delivery of the open Venturi system anesthesia for endoscopic laser surgery. A retrospective study of 100 patients who have undergone this modality of anesthesia at our institution will be presented. Our conclusion from this study shows clearly the superiority of the copper tube over the conventional aluminium-foil-wrapped endotracheal tube in safety and the exposure of the larynx during surgery.