Operative techniques
RFA [11] was used for endoscopic surgery (Coblator II surgery
system, EVac70, EIC-7070-01 Radiofrequency Ablation Cutter, Arthrocare
Company, U.S.). First, a suspension laryngoscope was inserted, and the
lesion was examined under a microscope (LEICA, M520) and using a 0- and
70-degree endoscope. Intraoperative rapid frozen sections were collected
during each surgical procedure to identify tumor-free margins. The
recent Proposal for Revision of the European Laryngological Society
Classification of Endoscopic Cordectomy classified surgical procedures
as type I to VI [12]. Among the 65 enrolled patients, there were 31
type III, 17 type IV, 8 type Va, and 9 type VI procedures. External
partial surgery was chosen in 28 patients, including 14 Tucker’s
reconstructive laryngectomies [13] and 14 larynx-cleaved vocal cord
resections.