Safety and Efficacy of Argon Plasma Coagulation for Resection of Lipomas and Hamartomas in Large Airways

Aims: To describe the use of argon plasma coagulation (APC) for radical resection of lipomas and hamartomasin large airways.
Methods: Eight patients (7 males and 1 female) were retrospectively reviewed. Data extractedincluded patient demographic characteristics, type and location of lesion, type of anesthesia used, number ofAPC sessions required, complications, length of hospital stay, and outcomes. All patients were followed-up for aminimum of 24 months.
Results: The patients had a mean age of 54.6 ± 13.5 years. Lipomas were diagnosed infive and hamartomas in three. Because complete removal of the tumor could not be achieved during one session,two additional APC treatments were carried out in one of the patients, and three in another. Duration of eachprocedure ranged from 90 to 120 minutes. For the six patients performed under general anesthesia, only onesession was required, and the mean time was 110 min. All tumors were completely removed, and no perioperativeor long-term complications occurred. During a minimum follow-up of 2 years, no recurrence was noted in anypatient.
Conclusions: Complete resection of lipomas and hamartomas inside large airways can be safely achievedvia APC. Further studies regarding the use of this technique for other tumor types are warranted.