Light in the Larynx: a Miniaturized Robotic Optical Fiber for In-office Laser Surgery of the Vocal Folds.

This paper reports the design, construction, and experimental validation of a novel hand-held robot for in-office laser surgery of the vocal folds. In-office endoscopic laser surgery is an emerging trend in Laryngology: It promises to deliver the same patient outcomes of traditional surgical treatment (i.e.

Benefits of Side-Firing Optical Fibers in Endoscopic Laser Treatment of the Larynx.

Objective: To elucidate potential tissue coverage of side-firing optical fibers in office-based endoscopic laser treatment of larynx, as well as to demonstrate their enhanced ability to address challenging anatomic areas.

Method: We performed a comparative study of four different fiber designs: a traditional forward-facing fiber, and three side-firing fibers that emit light at an angle of 45°, 70°, and 90°, respectively. The study was conducted in simulation, using eight three-dimensional models of the human larynx generated from microtomography x-ray scans.