Carbon dioxide laser treatment of metastatic melanoma of the trachea and bronchi.

An occasional patient with metastatic or recurrent malignant disease develops intraluminal masses in the trachea and/or the main bronchi. The accuracy of the application, absence of bleeding, slight reaction, and rapid healing make the CO2 laser applied through the open bronchoscope a valuable palliative treatment for the relief of obstructive dyspnea. This patient is reported because he demonstrated the reduced bleeding which occurred with the bronchoscopic CO2 lasing as compared to bronchoscopic forceps removal.