title: Laser-assisted trachea anastomoses in dogs.
abstract: Tracheal anastomoses are known to be related to special surgical risks. We performed laser-assisted trachea anastomoses in 10 Beagle dogs, using an Argon-laser system and a handheld quarz fiber for energy transmission. All animals showed an uneventful postoperative course without signs of infection, air-leakage or respiratory impairment. Pathologic examination revealed no significant stenosis but a normal reconstruction of the tracheal endothelium and a normal woundhealing with only an increased connective tissue reaction. Because of the lower tensile strength of laser-assisted anastomoses in general, three adapting absorbable sutures should be left in situ to increase the resistance against mechanical stress. Under these circumstances laser-assisted anastomoses seem to be a promising additional method in the field of tracheal reconstruction and transplantation.
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs; D053685:Laser Therapy; D014132:Trachea / Q000601:surgery*