Background: Benign vocal cord lesions are commonly encountered. Conventional excision techniques are associated with collateral thermal damage. Coblation claims minimized adjacent tissue injury due to its non-thermal mechanism.
Aim of the work: To evaluate safety and efficacy of coblation in excision of benign vocal cord lesions.
Patients and Methods: This prospective study included 30 patients with benign vocal cord lesions undergoing coblation. Lesion type, intraoperative parameters and postoperative outcomes were assessed. Primary outcomes were completeness of excision, perioperative complications and recurrence rate at 6 months. The improvement in voice quality was evaluated using the GRBAS [Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Aesthenia, Strain] score preoperatively and at 3 months postoperatively.
Results: Common lesions were polyps [n=16] and vocal nodules [n=9]. Mean procedural time was 15 min [range 10-20 min]. Complete excision was achieved in all cases. Only 1 patient had immediate postoperative bleeding managed conservatively. None reported aspiration, infection or visualization difficulties. Mean postoperative hospital stay was 1 day. The GRBAS score significantly decreased from 6.57 ± 1.61 preoperatively to 1.83 ± 0.747 after 3 months [p < 0.001], indicating substantial improvement in voice quality.
Conclusion: Coblation is a safe and effective minimally invasive technique for excision of benign vocal cord lesions. It enables complete excision with minimal collateral thermal damage, early postoperative recovery and low recurrence rates.