title: A prospective study of incisional time, blood loss, pain, and healing with carbon dioxide laser, scalpel, and electrosurgery.
abstract: Carbon dioxide laser incisions are reported to be less painful, less bloody, and less prone to seroma formation and to heal better than scalpel or electrosurgical incisions. We compared all three modalities in a prospective randomized study of cholecystectomy incisions. Time required for the incision and incisional blood loss was less with electrosurgery than with the carbon dioxide laser or scalpel. Postoperative pain and wound healing, however, were the same for all three techniques. The carbon dioxide laser appears to offer no advantage over conventional means of making a standard incision.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver.
authors.forename: N W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Pearlman
authors.forename: G V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Stiegmann
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vance
authors.forename: L W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Norton
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Staerkel
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Van Way
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Bartle
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002763:Cholecystectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D004598:Electrosurgery / Q000009:adverse effects; D005122:Exudates and Transudates; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D012867:Skin; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000209:etiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide