Endoscopic Nd:YAG laser surgery were performed in a total of 6 cases including 3 benign and 3 malignant tumors in the tracheobronchial trees as a modality of curative treatment.
Benign tumors consisted of one papilloma at trachea and two leiomyomas at rB3b and It mainstem bronchus, respectively. All cases were treated with 2 sessions of Nd:YAG laser surgery irradiating 1,222 to 5,002 joules and had no particular complications and no tumor recurrence during the follow-up period 2 to 5 years.
Malignant tumors included 3 early stage squamous cell carcinomas with poor pulmonary function, which demonstrated unresectable. Malignant cells became negative cytologically and histologically 2 to 3 weeks after the first Nd:YAG laser surgery in all 3 cases. Two cases at It B1+2 and It B6 who were treated with a total of 1,642 and 1,004 joules had no recurrence during the follow-up period 11 to 46 months, however, one case at rt B6 treated with more than 6,000 joules recurred 4 months after the first laser surgery.
Endoscopic Nd:YAG laser surgery is considered to be a modality of curative treatment for the localized lesions within tracheobronchial cartilageneous rings in not only benign but also malignant natures.