title: Stimulation of the healing of experimental colon anastomoses by low-power lasers.
abstract: Anastomotic leakage following colorectal surgery remains a complication with high mortality and morbidity. Recent studies suggest that helium-neon (He-Ne) lasers at specific energy densities can be used to enhance wound healing in different tissues. In this experimental study we have tested the strength of end-to-end anastomosis of the rat colon irradiated by He-Ne laser by measuring bursting pressures and bursting wall tensions at 2, 4 and 7 days after operation. The study shows that He-Ne laser radiation induces a significant increase in colonic strength at the anastomosis. The laser does not cause the luminal narrowing observed in non-irradiated specimens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine of Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Asencio-Arana
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Martinez-Soriano
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D000818:Animals; D003106:Colon / Q000601:surgery*; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male; D011312:Pressure; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013529:Surgical Wound Dehiscence; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000528:radiation effects*