Is phonosurgery possible without general anesthesia using a 3D Larynx?
Surgeon Feride Gojayeva, one of our hospital’s doctors, shares the details of her study, which won first prize in the Head and Neck category at the National Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery Congress.
“Laryngeal roof surgeries are performed under sedation without the need for general anesthesia. During these procedures, it is possible to adjust the length, tension, and position of the vocal cords. As a result of these surgical interventions, the voice can be thickened or thinned.
During the procedure, the patient is asked to speak to enable voice control, which is why general anesthesia cannot be applied. The fact that the patient remains awake requires the physician performing the procedure to have a higher level of expertise. For these reasons, gaining practical experience in this field during residency training is extremely challenging.
Considering this challenge, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Necati Enver and I designed a 3D larynx simulator that closely resembles the human larynx. This simulator allows otolaryngologists and specialty trainees to enhance their skills in laryngeal roof surgeries. Working with 3D simulation models of human tissues provides physicians with a deeper understanding of anatomy and helps improve their manual skills in surgical procedures.
The 3D larynx simulator we developed has been evaluated as a suitable training tool for learning and practicing laryngeal roof surgeries (type 1, type 3, and type 4a thyroplasty) performed under local anesthesia or sedation. Our model is the first comprehensive laryngeal simulator, featuring key anatomical structures and designed specifically to facilitate hands-on experience in laryngeal roof surgeries.
Our study was awarded first prize in the Head and Neck category at the National Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery Congress, held on November 15–19.”
The completed 3D laryngeal simulator.
