title: Width of thermal damage after using the YAG contact laser for cutting biological tissue: animal experimental investigation.
abstract: At the University Women's Clinic in Kiel, the YAG contact laser has been used as a cutting instrument in pelviscopic operations since 1987. When the laser cuts, it produces only a scant amount of mechanical trauma. The determining factor is the amount of thermal damage produced along the wound margins and in direct neighboring tissue. The extent of the tissue change seen in the uterus and liver parenchyma of rats and the striated muscle of rabbits after application of the YAG contact laser was demonstrated using various staining techniques and stains. Liver parenchyma proved to be the most sensitive to thermal damage. In the uterine horn, enzyme-histochemical ATPase and alkaline phosphatase demonstrations showed a significantly wider zone of thermal damage after laser incision than did hematoxylin-eosin and Goldner staining techniques. A good understanding of the extent of thermal damage is essential for atraumatic pelviscopic operations using the YAG contact laser and also for the preventing of complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Kiel, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mecke
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schünke
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schnaidt
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Freys
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Semm
mesh_terms: D000009:Abdominal Muscles / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000032:analysis; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008099:Liver / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D014599:Uterus / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases