OmniGuide photonic bandgap fibers for flexible delivery of CO2 laser energy for laryngeal and airway surgery

The CO 2 laser is the most widely used laser in laryngology, offering very precise cutting, predictable depth of penetration, and minimal collateral damage due to the efficient absorption of CO 2 laser by water. Surgical applications of CO 2 laser in microlaryngoscopy include removal of benign lesions and early-stage laryngeal cancer. A Transoral Laser Microsurgery (TLM) approach is routinely employed for treatment of laryngeal cancer; however, the role of TLM in advanced malignant lesions remains controversial. The main limiting factor of TLM is the restrictive exposure of the endoscopes combined with the limited cutting ability offered by the existing micromanipulator, enabling cutting only along the straight line-of-sight axis. A flexible fiber delivery system offering a very high quality output beam can offer tangential cutting and can therefore significantly enhance the existing surgical capabilities. Moreover, a flexible fiber for CO 2 laser delivery can be used for treatment of benign conditions through flexible endoscopy in an office setting using local anesthesia. OmniGuide Communications Inc. (OGCI) has fabricated a photonic bandgap fiber capable of flexibly guiding CO 2 laser energy. Results of laryngeal in-vivo and in-vitro animal studies will be presented. We will discuss the system setup, fiber performance and clinical outcomes. In addition we will present the results of the first human treatment and highlight additional otolaryngology conditions, which will likely benefit from the new technology herein presented.