Carbon Dioxide Lasers in Head and Neck Surgery

摘要

The Office of Health Technology Assessment (OHTA) emphasizes three basic principles in its assessment activities: (1) broad and open participation both within and outside of the Federal government, (2) reliance on the expertise and research abilities of outside organizations and individuals, and (3) broad dissemination of assessment reports. This assessment focuses on carbon dioxide lasers in head and neck surgery. The continuous-wave CO2 laser was introduced for head and neck surgery in 1971 and since that time has had widespread and increasing use in both adult and pediatric populations. It is regarded as a safe and effective alternative to conventional surgical techniques and has been approved and endorsed by various PHS agencies and professional specialty groups for application to surgery in this area. An abundance of published literature has demonstrated its success in the treatment of thousands of patients effectively and with reduced morbidity.