Proposal for revision of the European Laryngological Society classification of endoscopic cordectomies

Abstract

A classification of laryngeal endoscopic cordectomies, which included eight different types, was first proposed by the European Laryngological Society in 2000. The purpose of this proposal of classification was an attempt to reach better consensus amongst clinicians and agree on uniformity in reporting the extent and depth of resection of cordectomy procedures, to allow relevant comparisons within the literature when presenting/publishing the results of surgery, and to recommend the use of guidelines to allow for reproducibility amongst practicing laryngologists. A total of 24 article citations of this classification have been found through the science citation index, as well as 3 book chapters on larynx cancer surgery, confirming its acceptance. However, on reflection, and with the passage of time, lesions originating at the anterior commissure have not been clearly described and, for that reason, a new endoscopic cordectomy (type VI) for cancers of the anterior commissure, which have extended or not to one or both of the vocal folds, without infiltration of the thyroid cartilage is now being proposed by the European Laryngological Society Committee on Nomenclature to revise and complete the initially reported classification.

Glottic laser surgery: outcomes according to 2007 ELS classification

“…The classification of cordectomies was performed according to the recent ''Proposal for revision of the European Laryngological Society classification of endoscopic cordectomies'' [12]. Endoscopic resections were performed by the same surgeon (M.L.)…”

“…In 2007, a proposal for revision of the original ELS classification of endoscopic cordectomies was published [12]. The revised classification introduced the type VI cordectomy, indicated for carcinoma originating in the anterior commissure with or without extension to one or both vocal folds without thyroid cartilage infiltration.…”

Aktuelle Therapieoptionen bei Larynx- und Hypopharynxkarzinomen

“…Der Vorteil gegenüber offenen Verfahren besteht darin, dass i. d. R. eine Tracheotomie zum Schutz der Atemwege nicht erforderlich ist, dass die Sensibilität des Kehlkopfs und damit die Schluckfunktion erhalten bleibt und dass es zu einem insgesamt reduzierten operativen Gewebstrauma mit nur wenigen operationsbedingten Komplikationen kommt. Die Technik ist mittlerweile standardisiert und reproduzierbar durchführbar [54,55,56] [53,62].…”

Comparison of Voice Quality after Laser Cordectomy with That after Radiotherapy or Chemoradiotherapy for Early Glottic Carcinoma

“…Frozen section diagnoses were conducted, and if there was a positive margin, additional excision was performed until a negative surgical margin was obtained. Cordectomy was classified into 6 types according to the ELS classification [14,15] as follows: type I, mucosal or submucosal excision; type II, subligamental excision; type III, partial excision of the thyroarytenoid muscle; type IV, total cordectomy exposing the thyroid cartilage; type V, total cordectomy with surrounding tissue excision (contralateral vocal cord, unilateral arytenoid, supraglottis or subglottis), and type VI, anterior commissure excision. …”

“…In 2000 and 2007, the European Laryngological Society (ELS) classified laser cordectomy into 6 types [14,15]. The ELS classification for laser cordectomy is gaining popularity for evaluating the extent of surgical defects of the vocal cord.…”