Use of potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) laser in management of subglottic hemangiomas.

OBJECTIVE

to study the role of KTP laser in management of subglottic hemangioma.

DESIGN

retrospective analysis of patients with subglottic hemangioma treated by the senior authors.

SETTING

tertiary care teaching hospital.

PATIENTS

twelve patients with subglottic hemangiomas.

INTERVENTION

patients were treated with KTP laser (eight cases), CO(2) laser (two cases) or observation (two cases).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

resolution of symptoms, decrease in size of subglottic hemangioma or tracheotomy decannulation.

RESULTS

All patients treated with KTP laser or CO(2) laser had resolution of symptoms and five tracheotomy-dependent children were decannulated.

CONCLUSION

subglottic hemangioma is a potentially life-threatening disease seen in young children. Most authors recommend use of either CO(2) or open surgical excision. There is very little data available on the use of KTP lasers in the management of subglottic hemangiomas. The KTP laser beam is preferentially absorbed by hemoglobin making this laser system more applicable to the treatment of vascular tumors such as the hemangioma. KTP laser is a good tool for management of subglottic hemangioma with a low incidence of complications.