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The treatment of T3 glottic carcinoma with vertical partial laryngectomy was reviewed by David Kessler, MD, and associates of the UCLA School of Medicine at the American Society of Head and Neck Surgery meeting, Denver. On the basis of their findings in 27 patients, they questioned the traditional concept that conservation vertical laryngectomy is contraindicated in the presence of vocal cord fixation. Their study population was critically chosen from a composite surgical population of 585 patients with laryngeal cancer at various stages. One hundred fifteen of these 585 patients were treated by vertical partial laryngectomy, including the 27 patients having a fixed vocal cord who comprised this study group. Their criteria for vertical partial laryngectomy in patients with a fixed vocal cord included: no subglottic extension (<10 mm anteriorly or about 3 mm posteriorly); posterior commissure extension into the opposite arytenoid; no anterior extension beyond half the opposite mobile cord;