Office-Based Blue Laser Therapy for Vocal Fold Cysts: A Case Series and Review of the Literature.

Abstract

Objective: To report a case series of vocal fold cysts treated with the blue laser in an office-setting and to review the literature on office-based laser therapy for vocal fold cysts.

Study design: Retrospective chart review.

Methods: The medical records and video-recordings of all patients diagnosed with vocal fold cysts who underwent office-based blue laser therapy (OBLT) in a tertiary referral center between December 2023 and October 2024 were reviewed. Outcome measures included patient self-reported vocal handicap using the Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10) questionnaire, disease regression as seen on laryngeal endoscopic examination, and acoustic and aerodynamic parameters.

Results: A total of eight patients with vocal fold cysts underwent OBLT met the inclusion criteria. Five patients presented for follow-up and were included in this study. The mean follow-up period was 11.40 ± 11.61 weeks. There was a decrease in the VHI-10 score following treatment in all five cases, with a significant decrease in the mean score by 11.2 points (P = 0.009). There was complete disease regression on laryngeal examination in all five cases, with improvement in mucosal waves and glottic closure following surgery. There was a non-significant decrease in the perturbation parameters, jitter and shimmer, in the Voice Turbulence Index and noise-to-harmonic-ratio. There was also a non-significant increase in the maximum phonation time from 12.53 ± 7.12 to 16.03 ± 7.12 seconds.

Conclusion: This study indicates that office-based blue laser surgery is effective in treating vocal fold cysts. The results support the growing evidence in the literature on the efficacious role of lasers in the management of vocal fold cyst in an office setting.