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Sutureless bowel anastomosis using Nd:YAG laser
Author(s) -
Mercer C. D.,
Minich P.,
Pauli B.
Publication year - 1987
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/lsm.1900070612
Subject(s) - anastomosis , welding , bursting , surgery , materials science , surgical anastomosis , biomedical engineering , medicine , composite material , neuroscience , biology
Abstract Small bowel anastomoses were performed without sutures by using the Nd:YAG laser to produce welded enterotomies. Optimal energy levels for contact and noncontact laser were determined. Anastomoses produced using five target energy levels between 100 and 500 J were examined. Short‐term anastomotic strength of these enterotomies was measured 1 min after the welding. Bursting pressure of the laser welded enterotomies was compared to the bursting pressure of traditional two‐layer, inverting, interrupted sutured bowel anastomoses. The overall mean bursting pressure of non‐contact‐welded enterotomies was 50.6 mmHg. Optimal laser settings determined in this initial phase were then used to produce anastomoses in rabbits which are recovered postoperatively for 1 or 2 weeks in order to examine long‐term viability and integrity of the anastomoses. All chronic rabbit preparations recovered without complication. The mean bursting pressure was 200 mmHg, not significantly different from that of uncut bowel or two‐layer sutured anastomosis.