Comparison of surgical lasers and conventional methods in skin incisions

Abstract

Steel scalpel, electrocautery, CO₂ laser used in a continuous wave mode (CW) and rapid superpulse mode (RSP), and contact Nd:YAG laser were tested on pig skin incisions. Speed of incision and histological changes near the wounds were examined. Light microscopical observations were made on postoperative day 0 using standard Van Gieson stain. Width of the scar on postoperative day 14 was also measured. Steel scalpel produced the least pathological changes in the skin, followed by RSP. Electrocautery did not differ significantly from the CO₂ lasers in this respect on postoperative day 0. The damage was larger after contact Nd:YAG laser. The situation was essentially similar on postoperative day 14. The width of the scar was narrowest after steel scalpel and widest after contact Nd:YAG laser (p<0.01; Nd:YAG vs. other methods). Electrocautery and the two CO₂ lasers produced equal scarring. However, electrocautery was significantly faster than any of the lasers (p<0.001).

Key Words:

• surgical lasers
• electrocautery
• skin incision