In vitro tissue effects of a combined Ho:YAG/Nd:YAG laser: Sprinkling of tissue fragments by Ho:YAG laser light may be problematic for oncological interventions

• Published in: Lasers in surgery and medicine 1999, Vol.25 (5), p.396-400
• Main Authors: Zenk, Johannes, Geisthoff, Urban W., Hamadi, Iyad, Iro, Heinrich
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Carbon Dioxide; endoscopic surgery; Hemostasis; In Vitro Techniques; laser surgery adverse effects; Laser Therapy - adverse effects; Laser Therapy - instrumentation; Medical sciences; Neoplasm Seeding; neoplasms surgery; Neoplasms, Experimental - surgery; photoablation; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); Technology. Biomaterials. Equipments. Material. Instrumentation; Tongue - radiation effects; Wound Healing
• ISSN: 0196-8092; 1096-9101
• DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1096-9101(1999)25:5<396::AID-LSM5>3.0.CO;2-C

Background and Objective Surgery of soft tissue, for example, of the tongue or the liver, requires a cutting and coagulating device. Therefore, a combined Ho:YAG/Nd:YAG laser providing the laser beam of both systems together in one bare fiber seems to be useful. Study Design/Materials and Methods We studied the effect of such a laser system in vitro on tongues of pigs. Results Combined application of both lasers results in vitro in a thicker coagulation zone in soft tissue (tongue). Tissue fragments possibly containing vital cells are sprinkled by the pulsed energy of the Ho:YAG laser up to a distance of 20 cm. Conclusion Using the pulsed Ho:YAG laser for oncologic interventions seems to be problematic. Combined laser effect in vivo may result in better hemostasis. Lasers Surg. Med. 25:396–400, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.