Lasers in surgery and medicine
-
Comparative Study
Comparison of dermal and epithelial approaches to laser tissue soldering for skin flap closure.
Prior studies of laser tissue soldering (LTS) of epithelial skin have shown poor wound strength in the short-term; however, we hypothesize that greater tensile strength and healing properties will result from directing laser energy to the dermal aspect of the skin. The current study compares wound strength and histology in a rat skin flap model of epithelial and dermally applied LTS. ⋯ Our results show that skin flap wound healing after dermal LTS is superior to epithelial LTS and emphasizes the importance of site specificity in the utilization of this operative technique in reconstructive surgery.
-
A number of lasers are available for cutaneous periorbital surgery, yet not all eye shields are appropriate for all applications. We tested a variety of commercially available eye shields to assess their safety features. ⋯ Overall, the metallic eye shields had the most acceptable safety profile. Many of the plastic shields exhibited significant thermal damage, and therefore we discourage their use in periorbital laser surgery.
-
In psoriasis the blood vessels are enlarged and dilated. These vessels, the psoriatic microvasculature, have been implicated as participating in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. The purpose of this preliminary study was to use the flash-lamp-pumped pulsed dye laser, which selectively damages dermal vessels, to treat psoriatic plaques and to evaluate the role of the vasculature in the therapeutic response. ⋯ Pulsed dye laser therapy may improve plaque psoriasis. This improvement may be related to the role the microvasculature plays in psoriasis.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Double-blind, placebo-controlled investigation of the effect of combined phototherapy/low intensity laser therapy upon experimental ischaemic pain in humans.
This study assessed the putative analgesic effect of combined monochromatic light/laser irradiation at low intensity (660-950 nm; 31.9 J/cm2; pulsed at 16 or 73 Hz). ⋯ These results do not provide convincing evidence for the hypoalgesic potential of combined monochromatic light/laser irradiation, at least at the parameters used here, and thus indicate the necessity of additional work to investigate this modality further in order to assess the potential benefit, if any, of such treatment in the clinical setting.