Preliminary experiences on diode laser welding of skin

Umberto Maria Reali; L. Borgognoni; L. Martini; C. Chiarugi; F. Gori; Roberto Pini; F. Toncelli; U. Vanni

doi:10.1117/12.197565

23 December 1994 Preliminary experiences on diode laser welding of skin

Umberto Maria Reali, L. Borgognoni, L. Martini, C. Chiarugi, F. Gori, Roberto Pini, F. Toncelli, U. Vanni

Proceedings Volume 2327, Medical Applications of Lasers II; (1994) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.197565
Event: International Symposium on Biomedical Optics Europe '94, 1994, Lille, France

Abstract

Dye enhanced laser welding has been recently proposed for skin closures to exploit the advantages of laser procedure (possible reduction of scar formation, no inflammatory reaction). In this preliminary study we used the diode laser-assisted technique to perform welding of rats' skin. In the pilot phase of the study we investigated the effect of the interaction between diode laser radiation and 20 full thickness skin wounds, performed on the shaved backs of 10 Wistar rats, using laser power in the range of 200 - 150 mW and, as the photoenhancing chromophore, Indocyanine Cardio-green (ICG) dye saturated solution in plasma. Ten wounds were sutured with 4.0 nylon thread, to provide a comparison with the traditional procedure. Wounds' samples were explanted on day 3 and 7 after the treatment, for histological evaluation. Clinical examination on the same days showed a high percentage of wounds dehiscence and presence of scales and crusts. Histologic examination demonstrated evidence of thermal injury and a heightened inflammation, superior to that of suture closures. In the second phase of the study, a lower laser power (150 - 80 mW), ICG-plasma-non saturated solution (ICG-sol) and ICG-plasma-saturated-sodium hyaluronate gel (ICG-gel), were used. Six wounds were filled with ICG-sol and six with ICG-gel, then irradiated at 150, 120 and 80 mW. Postoperative explants were performed on day 3 and 7. Clinical and histological results from this group were satisfactory: we recorded only one case of dehiscence, well healed wounds, no epidermal necrosis and a mild inflammatory reaction, reduced respect to that of traditional closure. We characterized the optimum range of parameters of diode laser-assisted technique to achieve an effective skin welding and the corresponding clinical and histologic pattern was described.

Citation Download Citation

Umberto Maria Reali, L. Borgognoni, L. Martini, C. Chiarugi, F. Gori, Roberto Pini, F. Toncelli, and U. Vanni "Preliminary experiences on diode laser welding of skin", Proc. SPIE 2327, Medical Applications of Lasers II, (23 December 1994); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.197565

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