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 hamartomas in large airways. METHODS Eight patients (7 males and 1 female) were retrospectively reviewed. Data extracted included patient demographic characteristics, type and location of lesion, type of anesthesia used, number of APC sessions required, complications, length of hospital stay, and outcomes. All patients were followed-up for a minimum of 24 months. RESULTS The patients had a mean age of 54.6 ± 13.5 years. Lipomas were diagnosed in five 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 each procedure ranged from 90 to 120 minutes. For the six patients performed under general anesthesia, only one session was required, and the mean time was 110 min. All tumors were completely removed, and no perioperative or long-term complications occurred. During a minimum follow-up of 2 years, no recurrence was noted in any patient. CONCLUSIONS Complete resection of lipomas and hamartomas inside large airways can be safely achieved via APC. Further studies regarding the use of this technique for other tumor types are warranted.