Transoral Laser Microsurgery of Benign and Malignant Lesions

A diagnosis of a mouth or throat lesion can be devastating, especially when malignant. Chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and open surgery can dramatically alter a patients facial appearance and negatively impact their quality of life. Extensive sensory impairments can result affecting taste, smell, hearing, swallowing, speech, and the ability to breathe normally. The development of transoral laser microsurgery (TLM) was groundbreaking, but it took years of refinement before the technology became the gold standard for specific types of tumors. The name Wolfgang Steiner is synonymous with bringing TLM into the medical mainstream. In the last two decades, a new group of medical pioneers has built on the foundation laid by Prof. Steiner, progressively expanding its applications. In a 16-year period, the treatment of more than 1400 patients has been meticulously documented, yielding important data and clinical pearls shared within these pages. Today even for advanced tumors this technology is viewed as a viable treatment option, with similar or better oncological results, and improved facial, sensory, and larynx preservation. Edited by renowned experts, with contributions from leading authorities, this book provides comprehensive and up-to-date coverage of TLM for the treatment of benign lesions and malignant tumors of the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx. Accompanied by more than 300 exceptional illustrations, the authors provide: - Detailed descriptions of the surgical techniques for the different anatomical locations - Tips and tricks for improving exposure - Discussions of potential complications, their incidence, and prevention and management - Results of oncological outcomes, survival rates, organ preservation rates, and complication rates for each anatomical subsite, and also comparable results with alternative treatment modalities - Advice on postoperative management, rehabilitation, and adjuvant therapy This state-of-the-art book is an invaluable resource for surgeons because it covers not only the equipment and surgical aspects but, very importantly for decision making, it also provides site-specific evidence for the use of TLM in the treatment of benign disorders and malignant disease, even at advanced stages.