Premium
Effects of Nd:YAG laser irradiation on morphometry and lung function in elastase‐induced emphysema in rats
Author(s) -
Akahane Tsutomu,
Kurokawa Yoshimochi,
Chiba Ryoji,
Yaegashi Hiroshi,
Takahashi Tohru,
Satomi Susumu
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
lasers in surgery and medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1096-9101
pISSN - 0196-8092
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1096-9101(1998)23:4<204::aid-lsm3>3.0.co;2-9
Subject(s) - elastic recoil , lung , medicine , irradiation , elastase , scars , ablation , pancreatic elastase , pulmonary compliance , lung volumes , nuclear medicine , compliance (psychology) , peripheral , pathology , chemistry , biochemistry , physics , nuclear physics , enzyme , psychology , social psychology
Background & Objective Although thoracoscopic laser ablation therapy has been hailed as an effective surgical treatment for diffuse emphysema, no one has as yet made an in‐depth study of the efficacy of this treatment. This investigation was undertaken to research the effects of laser pneumoplasty on an animal model of emphysema. Study Design /Materials and Methods Eight weeks after elastase treatment, the rats' left lungs were irradiated using contact Nd:YAG laser. Pulmonary function tests were performed 4 weeks after irradiation and the lungs were prepared for histologic examination. Results Dense fibrous scars beneath the pleura were observed at 4 weeks after irradiation. Although mean linear intercept values of irradiated lungs were not much lower than those in the non‐irradiated elastase‐treated group, laser irradiation caused a significant decrease in lung volume. While there was no significant difference in quasistatic compliance, elastic recoil pressure of the lung increased to control levels at total lung capacity volume. Conclusion We conclude that laser therapy does not cause normalization of compliance, or improvement in the deeper part of the emphysematous lung, but rather a peripheral volume reduction and “encasement effect” on the lungs as a result of fibrotic scars. Lasers Surg. Med. 23:204–212, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.