Obstruction of the tracheobronchial tree with benign or malignant tumuors can cause severe respiratory embarrassment necessitating urgent therapy. Earlier this invariably involved major surgical intervention even for benign lesions, with attendant high mortality and morbidity. In 1974, Strong et all reported the use of the carbon dioxide laser for endoscopic treatment of patients with tracheobronchial lesions. Since then, several types of lasers have been tried with Toty et al2 pioneering the use of the Neodymium: Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Nd: Yag)laser for this purpose. We have been using the Nd -YAG laser photocoagulation therapy for obstructing tracheobronchial tumors since 1986. We are a regional referral center for laser treatment and hence we see a fair number of such lesions. Patients are referred by ENT surgeons who after evaluation feel surgery is not feasible. The aim of laser treatment is to improve the quality of life of such patients with minimal morbidity and a realtively short hospital stay.
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