Abstract
Background/Objective: A new pulsed near-infrared laser was developed for incision of soft tissues. This article presents a preliminary investigation of the 1.44-μm laser. Methods: A prototype laser was used with a cleaved 600-μm quartz fiber (1.44 μm, 5–30 Hz, 30 W max.). Standardized 5-cm incisions were made on skin, striated muscle, and liver in anesthetized New Zealand White rabbits. The animals were euthanized and the tissues were immediately harvested, and histologic examination completed after hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. The acute zone of coagulation was measured. A wound healing study was conducted on anesthetized NZW rabbits. The hind leg muscle was exposed and four, 5-cm incisions were made using the laser (0.5 J, 25 Hz) and four incisions were made with an electrosurgical unit on coagulating current (25 W). The incisions were marked and the overlying skin reapproximated. One rabbit was euthanized on day 11 and one on day 21. The wounds were exposed and excised for histology. Results: The acute zone of injury was 1160 ± 120 μm to 1250 ± 110 μm for skin; 70 ± 20 μm to 400 ± 280 μm for muscle, and 660 ± 120 μm to 1930 ± 300 μm for liver. The chronic study demonstrated less inflammation in the laser wounds on day 11 and a chronic inflammatory response on day 21. No gross differences in healing were noted. Discussion/Conclusion: The 1.44 μm laser wavelength interacts with tissues in a manner that is substantially equivalent to the holmium laser (2.1 μm). Further studies of the 1.44 μm laser and delivery system development are warranted.
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