From 1965 to 1975 conservation laryngeal surgery was performed on 249 patients with precancerous lesions and early carcinoma of the vocal cords. Clinical staging determined the type of surgery (vocal cord stripping, cordectomy, vertical partial laryngectomy and hemilaryngectomy) to be performed. Most (about 80 per cent) glottic carcinomas were T1 or T2 lesions. The rest were precancerous lesions, carcinomas-in-situ or T3 lesions. The overall 3 years survival was 90.7 per cent and the 5 year survival was 85.6 per cent. Through analysis of the clinical and histological findings of those patients with residual and recurrent disease the indications for and the limitations of the various conservation procedures could be demonstrated. These favourable results here presented show this to be a good method of control of early glottic carcinoma. Strict operative indications and critical histological examination of the operative specimen are essential in view of the occasional failure.