title: Investigating the range of surgical effects on soft tissue produced by a carbon dioxide laser.
abstract: The authors investigated the surgical and collateral effects on soft tissue of a carbon dioxide laser emitting at 9.3 micrometers. Specifically, incision widths and depths as well as effectiveness were studied. Three different laser modes were investigated: gated continuous wave, or Cw, Superpulse and OptiPulse (Medical Optics). Incision depths correlated positively with average power; higher powers produced deeper incisions. The gated Cw mode quickly produced wide, deep incisions; Superpulse achieved narrower, deep incisions; OptiPulse caused very narrow, shallow incisions. Collateral damage to adjacent tissues was reduced by a factor of about 2 using Superpulse, and by a factor of 10 using OptiPulse. A wide range of effects is achieved in soft tissue, depending on the laser parameter combination used.
authors.affiliation: Beckman laser Institute and Medical Clinic, University of California, Irvine 91715, USA.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wilder-Smith
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dang
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kurosaki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D016014:Linear Models; D010519:Periodontium / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000601:surgery*; D013515:Surgery, Oral / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide