| Title | Cutting and skin-ablative properties of pulsed mid-infrared laser surgery. | | Author(s) | Kaufmann R, Hartmann A, Hibst R | | Institution | Department of Dermatology, University of Ulm, Germany. | | Source | J Dermatol Surg Oncol 1994 Feb; 20(2):112-8. | | MeSH | Aluminum Silicates
Animals
Carbon Dioxide
Comparative Study
Dermabrasion
Epithelium
Erbium
Erythema
Granulation Tissue
Heat
Holmium
Inflammation
Infrared Rays
Laser Surgery
Neodymium
Skin
Surgical Instruments
Swine
Thulium
Wound Healing
Yttrium
| | Abstract | BACKGROUND. Pulsed mid-infrared lasers allow a precise removal of soft tissues with only minimal thermal damage.
OBJECTIVE. To study the potential dermatosurgical usefulness of currently available systems at different wavelengths (2010-nm Thulium:YAG laser, 2100-nm Holmium:YAG laser, 2790-nm Erbium:YSGG laser, and 2940-nm Erbium:YAG laser) in vivo on pig skin.
METHODS. Immediate effects and wound healing of superficial laser-abrasions and incisions were compared with those of identical control lesions produced by dermabrasion, scalpel incisions, or laser surgery performed by a 1060-nm Nd:YAG and a 1060-nm CO2 laser (continuous and superpulsed mode).
RESULTS. Best efficiency and least thermal injury was found for the pulsed Erbium:YAG laser, leading to ablative and incisional lesions comparable to those obtained by dermabrasion or superficial scalpel incisions, respectively.
CONCLUSION. In contrast to other mid-infrared lasers tested, the 2940-nm Erbium:YAG laser thus provides a potential instrument for future applications in skin surgery, especially when aiming at a careful ablative removal of delicate superficial lesions with maximum sparing of adjacent tissue structures. However, in the purely incisional application mode pulsed mid-infrared lasers, though of potential usefulness in microsurgical indications (eg, surgery of the cornea), do not offer a suggestive alternative to simple scalpel surgery of the skin. | | Language | eng | | Pub Type(s) | Journal Article
| | PubMed ID | 8113503 |
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