Experimental study of diode-laser induced thermocoagulation on hepatic tissue with scanner fiber tip.
OBJECTIVE
To explore a safe, efficient, and cost-effective technique for local thermo-ablation of hepatic tumors.


METHODS
The livers of 16 healthy rabbits were thermocoagulated by diode-laser with a hand-made scanner fiber tip, 6 w for 10 min. At the same time, the temperature was measured at 5 and 10 mm from the laser tip. Liver function 7 days post-thermocoagulation was compared to pre-thermocoagulation. Pathological changes were also studied 1 month after laser thermocoagulation.


RESULTS
All the rabbits lived and the temperature of hepatic tissues at 0 mm, 5 mm, 10 mm from laser tip reached 96.39+/-3.97 degrees, 60.79+/-6.21 degrees, 46.10+/-4.58 degrees, respectively after 10 min thermocoagulation. There was no significant change in liver function. The hepatic thermocoagulated necrosis and the surrounding fibrosis was 26.0 mm in diameter. Light microscopy observation revealed no surviving cells in the coagulated area.


CONCLUSIONS
Hepatic tissue can be locally ablated safely and effectively by diode-laser with scanner fiber tip, and this technique may be a new method to treat hepatic tumors.
Hong
De-Fei
DF
Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang Province, China. hongdefi@mail.hz.zj.cn
Peng
Shu-You
SY
Li
Song-Ying
SY
Tong
Li-Min
LM
D000818:Animals; D017075:Laser Coagulation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D023421:Models, Animal; D011817:Rabbits