Studies in the management of the contaminated wound: IV. Resistance to infection of surgical wounds made by knife, electrosurgery, and laser

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The purpose of this study has been to compare the susceptibility to infection of wounds made by the stainless steel knife, an electrosurgical cutting electrode, and a continuous wave CO 2 laser. The resistance to infection of wounds made by the stainless steel knife was greater than the resistance to infection of wounds made by either the laser or the high frequency electrical current. The inflammatory responses of wounds made by the stainless steel knife to bacterial contamination were significantly less than the inflammatory responses of wounds produced by the laser or electrosurgical unit. This increased susceptibility to infection of wounds made by the “radioknife” or “lightknife” was correlated with histologic evidence of delayed healing and coagulation necrosis of tissue.