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A preliminary study of healing of superpulsed carbon dioxide laser incisions in the hard palate of monkeys
Author(s) -
Romanos George,
Siar Chong Huat,
Ng Kh,
Toh Chooi Gait
Publication year - 1999
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(1999)24:5<368::aid-lsm7>3.0.co;2-6
Subject(s) - carbon dioxide laser , haematoxylin , masson's trichrome stain , wound healing , connective tissue , medicine , surgery , hard palate , epithelium , laser , staining , pathology , laser surgery , optics , physics
Background and Objective Prior studies of laser wound healing using different animal models have shown a delayed tissue response after carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) laser application. This article reports on the preliminary findings of healing of superpulsed CO 2 laser and scalpel incisions in the hard palate of monkeys. Study design/Materials and Methods Twelve parallel incisions using a superpulsed, continuous wave CO 2 laser and a scalpel were performed in the hard palate of each of two adult monkeys at 3, 7, and 14 days time schedules. Power levels of 2.0, 4.0, and 6.0 Watts were used for the laser incisions. Wounds were harvested, fixed in 10% formalsaline for at least 48 hours and processed routinely. Each specimen was embedded in paraffin wax at 90 degrees to the surface epithelium and 5 μm thick sections prepared for staining with haematoxylin and eosin, Periodic acid Schiff and Masson‐trichrome at a step‐serial interval of 100 μm. Sections were evaluated independently. Results According to the clinical findings we showed a wound closure in all of the wounds (laser and scalpel incisions) at 3, 7, and 14 days of healing. Histologically, we showed that laser incisions at three and seven days demonstrated an increased, power setting‐dependent tissue necrosis and marked inflammatory response with minimal organization compared to scalpel incisions. At 14 days both types of incisions exhibited complete wound healing of the epithelium and connective tissue. Discussion and Conclusions According to these preliminary results, superpulsed CO 2 laser tends to produce more pronounced changes (due to tissue thermal damage) with corresponding greater inflammatory reaction and delay in tissue organization only initially. Lasers Surg. Med. 24:368–374, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.