LASER APPLICATIONS IN OTOLARYNGOLOGY - INTRODUCTION

The perception of the laser has changed as lasers have moved from the laboratory into everyday conventional surgery. The physician's percept ion oi: the laser has expanded from the simple light scalpel to a tool with a variety of applications. This issue of Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America is designed to explain how lasers are used today in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery and to indicate new directions fo r the laser tomorrow.