Cancer invading the larynx threatens more than vocal cord mobility and speech – it jeopardizes the patient’s very ability to breathe. Given this organ's instrumental role and connection to the lungs, radical surgery has prevailed for decades as the standard measure against laryngeal cancer. But innovation and specialization have spawned more tailored, targeted techniques to eradicate malignancies while sparing critical function.
Nowadays, the best head and neck cancer doctor in Kolkata prefers to conduct cordectomy. It constitutes the cornerstone of modern larynx cancer treatment.
The procedure of cordectomy:
In this procedure, the surgeon removes a part or all of the vocal cords with the aid of cutting-edge surgical instruments and often via laser. This procedure offers the best results when the patients have a very small tumour on the glottis.
Cordectomies pinpoint and remove select cancerous sections of the vocal cords with remarkable precision using microscopic tools. They spare surrounding healthy larynx tissue critical for preserving voice and swallowing. This practice distinguishes the procedure from the otherwise debilitating total laryngectomies. Cordectomy is most effective in early-stage malignancies confined to superficial portions of the vocal cords. However, the best head and neck cancer surgeon tends to recommend it only in the case of tumours at stage T1. T1 refers to a tumour on a vocal chord that does not change its movement. While a tumour on either of the vocal cords is called T1a, a tumour on both of the vocal cords is called T1b.
The recovery and the aftermath:
Patients who undergo cordectomy often rapidly regain vocal strength and range compared to more invasive surgeries. Hence, people in voice-centric professions are usually advised to undergo this surgery when a laryngeal tumour is found in the glottis. However, it is important to consult the best head and neck cancer surgeon who has extensive know-how in larynx anatomy as well as experience in the sphere of surgical oncology because a slim margin of error, in this case, can wreak considerable havoc amidst the delicate constellation of trachea, veins and nerves.