Use Of Surgical Lasers Research Articles

Use of surgical lasers in small animal dermatology

Background: Use of lasers in veterinary medicine has significantly increased over the past decade. What was once a piece of equipment, almost exclusively used by veterinary specialists, has now become a common piece of equipment in general veterinary practices. It is imperative to know the appropriate situations and diseases for which lasers can be used.Aim of the article: This article covers the basics of lasers, including discussion of both diode and CO2 lasers. It also discusses several skin diseases and/or conditions in which lasers are commonly used.

Laser excision of oral leukoplakia: Does it affect recurrence and malignant transformation? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Oral leukoplakia (OL) is a white lesion with high potential of recurrence and malignant transformation. The variable clinical and histopathological features of OL may potentially impact both treatment and prognosis. Current literature shows that post treatment rates of recurrence and malignant transformation vary widely. The use of surgical lasers have been proposed with the objective of improving outcomes. We performed a systematic review and a comprehensive meta-analysis dedicated to pooling the rates of recurrence and malignant transformation of OL lesions treated using the main types of surgical lasers available. Scopus, MEDLINE/PubMed, and Embase were searched electronically. A total of 36 articles met the inclusion criteria. Selected studies included OL lesions that were treated by evaporation or excision using Nd:YAG laser, Er:YAG laser, CO2 laser, KTP laser, or diode laser. The results of this systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that surgical laser excision of OL may decrease recurrence rates but have no effect on the malignant transformation of OL when compared with conventional treatments.

Clinical application of diode laser radiation for surgical treatment of patients with dental diseases

Background. Traumatism of surgical operations in dentistry dictates the need to search for minimally invasive methods of tissue alteration. The use of lasers makes it possible to solve this problem, since laser radiation possesses a lower operative injury, selective action and activates the reparative processes in the wound.
 Aim. To increase the effectiveness of surgical treatment of dental patients by using a diode laser.
 Materials and Methods. In a clinic, 134 patients from 18 to 82 years of age with various dental diseases were examined and underwent surgical treatment using a traditional method and a diode «PICASSO Lite» laser with 810 nm wavelength from AMD Lasers (USA), with the radiation power in the range from 0.6 to 1.0 W. The criteria for evaluation of the effectiveness of laser application were the data of clinical examination.
 Results. In comparison with the traditional method of treatment, use of a surgical laser resulted in a less pronounced postoperative edema and pain. The difference between healing time of the operative wound after use of surgical laser and after the traditional treatment was 3±0.5 days in case of suturing of the wound and 7±0.5 days in case of wound healing under the fibrinous film and under the iodoform tampon. The wound defect induced by laser radiation passed all stages of the wound process much faster that with use of scalpel. In addition, selective removal of pathological tissues reduced the likelihood of injury to the oral mucosa, which leads to reduction in the duration of treatment.
 Conclusions. Thus, the use of a diode laser allows to improve the technique of surgical treatment of patients and increases the effectiveness of treatment of patients with dental diseases.

Clinical application of diode laser radiation for surgical treatment of patients with dental diseases

Background. Traumatism of surgical operations in dentistry dictates the need to search for minimally invasive methods of tissue alteration. The use of lasers makes it possible to solve this problem, since laser radiation possesses a lower operative injury, selective action and activates the reparative processes in the wound.
 Aim. To increase the effectiveness of surgical treatment of dental patients by using a diode laser.
 Materials and Methods. In a clinic, 134 patients from 18 to 82 years of age with various dental diseases were examined and underwent surgical treatment using a traditional method and a diode «PICASSO Lite» laser with 810 nm wavelength from AMD Lasers (USA), with the radiation power in the range from 0.6 to 1.0 W. The criteria for evaluation of the effectiveness of laser application were the data of clinical examination.
 Results. In comparison with the traditional method of treatment, use of a surgical laser resulted in a less pronounced postoperative edema and pain. The difference between healing time of the operative wound after use of surgical laser and after the traditional treatment was 3±0.5 days in case of suturing of the wound and 7±0.5 days in case of wound healing under the fibrinous film and under the iodoform tampon. The wound defect induced by laser radiation passed all stages of the wound process much faster that with use of scalpel. In addition, selective removal of pathological tissues reduced the likelihood of injury to the oral mucosa, which leads to reduction in the duration of treatment.
 Conclusions. Thus, the use of a diode laser allows to improve the technique of surgical treatment of patients and increases the effectiveness of treatment of patients with dental diseases.

Laser application in neurosurgery.

Background:Technological innovations based on light amplification created by stimulated emission of radiation (LASER) have been used extensively in the field of neurosurgery.Methods:We reviewed the medical literature to identify current laser-based technological applications for surgical, diagnostic, and therapeutic uses in neurosurgery.Results:Surgical applications of laser technology reported in the literature include percutaneous laser ablation of brain tissue, the use of surgical lasers in open and endoscopic cranial surgeries, laser-assisted microanastomosis, and photodynamic therapy for brain tumors. Laser systems are also used for intervertebral disk degeneration treatment, therapeutic applications of laser energy for transcranial laser therapy and nerve regeneration, and novel diagnostic laser-based technologies (e.g., laser scanning endomicroscopy and Raman spectroscopy) that are used for interrogation of pathological tissue.Conclusion:Despite controversy over the use of lasers for treatment, the surgical application of lasers for minimally invasive procedures shows promising results and merits further investigation. Laser-based microscopy imaging devices have been developed and miniaturized to be used intraoperatively for rapid pathological diagnosis. The multitude of ways that lasers are used in neurosurgery and in related neuroclinical situations is a testament to the technological advancements and practicality of laser science.

A Feasible Procedure in Dental Practice: The Treatment of Oral Dysplastic Hyperkeratotic Lesions of the Oral Cavity with the CO2 Laser

The aim of this work is to report some cases of surgical removal of hyperkeratotic lesions of the oral cavity with the CO(2) laser. Hyperkeratosis is an abnormal thickening of the stratum corneum caused by increased deposition of keratin, and its histopathologic features show wide variations. These changes are significant because they determine different biologic behavior. Several techniques are used to treat these lesions, including scalpel incision, electrosurgery, cryosurgery, photodynamic therapy, and some drugs. The use of surgical lasers has been proposed as an effective way of treating such lesions safely. The CO(2) laser is the most used laser on the oral cavity because of its affinity for water and high absorption by the oral mucosa. Several benefits of the use of the CO(2) laser are reported in the literature in regard to surgical procedures carried out on the oral cavity. All patients had histopathologic diagnosis of hyperkeratosis and mild epithelial dysplasia and were routinely prepared for surgery under local anesthesia. The surgical procedures were carried out by using a CO(2) laser (Sharplan 20 C; Laser Industries, Tel Aviv, Israel, λ10,600 nm, φ∼2 mm, CW/RSP). The beam was focused to delimit each lesion, and then lesions were excised, and the removed specimens were sent for histopathology. At the end of the surgery, the beam was used in a defocused manner to promote better hemostasis. Neither sutures nor dressings were used after the surgery. No medication but mouthwashes was prescribed to all patients in the postoperative period. The use of the CO(2) laser does not reduce the risk of relapses of the lesion, but it is an easy-to-use technique and results in both a quick surgical procedure and trouble-free postoperative period and may be safely used in dental practice.

The Use of Surgical Diode Laser in Oral Hemangioma: A Case Report

To review the literature regarding the use of surgical lasers in hemangioma treatment and to report a clinical case involving diode laser. Hemangiomas are benign vascular proliferations consisting of numerous capillary structures and are especially common on the tongue, lips, jugal mucous membrane, and gums. A number of treatment modalities have been proposed for hemangioma treatment. The patient was referred for evaluation complaining of chewing difficulty because of swelling in the right area of the upper lip, with no previous trauma. The lesion was located in the internal right jugal mucous membrane, measured 4 x 4 cm(2), presented a bluish coloration, and was diagnosed as a hemangioma. The treatment selected was surgical removal using gallium arsenide (GaAs) diode laser at 980 nm wavelength, with 4.0 W of power. During surgery, complications including hemorrhage were not observed, and no scarring developed after surgery. The use of GaAs high-potency diode laser in the treatment of hemangioma reduced bleeding during surgery, with a consequent reduction in operating time, and promoted rapid postoperative hemostasis. It is safe for use on large lesions and easy to manage, and postoperative problems, including potential scarring, and discomfort are minimal.

Surgical laser use in implantology and endodontics

The use of surgical lasers has been advocated to aid in the placement and second stage recovery of dental implants, together with soft tissue contouring. In addition, laser use has been suggested as an aid in decontamination of the implant surface in cases of peri-implantitis. In endodontics, the association of laser energy with dentine hypersensitivity, bacteriocidal action and pulp-capping, has led to a growing number of reports as to its beneficial use, together with claims of morphological changes in the canal wall, to enhance endodontic treatment success.

New possibilities of the use of surgical lasers in obstetrics

The laser welding suture of peritoneum in pregnants and in women in labor with high risk of pyo-septic complications is used in cesarean section operation. In the basic group the postoperative complications are three times as little than in the comparison group. The promise of the use of the biological laser @welding@ in obstetrics and gynecology to improve technology and results of surgical treatment especially in delivery of women with high risk of pyo-septic complications is noted.

Ultra-violet and infra-red laser ablation studies of biocompatible polymers

Polytetrafluroethylene (PTFE) and other biocompatible polymers have been extensively used for sutures, vascular grafts and bone, and other hard tissue replacements. The use of surgical lasers for intervention on teflon-tissue interfaces has attracted a great deal of interest, as both the high intensity pulsed lasers and prosthetic biomaterials are in increasing use. The study of the ablational behaviour of PTFE films with three surgical lasers (CO2, Nd-YAG and XeCl) have been undertaken for assessing the optimal laser parameters for ablation (e.g. the absorption coefficient and the relevant threshold fluence) from ablation rate measurements.

Current and Future Developments in Laser Surgery

Following the first application of the laser in surgery, the development of its instrumentation and techniques in many surgical disciplines has been rapid. An overview is provided of the present and future use of surgical lasers. New laser systems and developments include high-output argon lasers; more miniaturization and flexibility; combinations of lasers; copper and gold head lasers; and selection beam lasers.