Closure of skin incisions in rabbits by laser soldering: I: Wound healing pattern.
OBJECTIVE
Temperature-controlled tissue laser soldering is an innovative sutureless technique awaiting only solid experimental data to become the gold-standard surgical procedure for incision closure. The goals of the current study were: (1) to define the optimal laser soldering conditions, (2) to explore the immediate skin reparative healing events after sealing the wound, and (3) to determine the long-term trajectory of skin wound healing.


METHODS
Skin incisions were generated over rabbit dorsa and were closed using different wound-closure interventions, in three groups: (a) closure, using a temperature-controlled infrared fiberoptic CO2 laser system, employing 47% bovine serum albumin as a solder; (b) wound closure by cyanoacrylate glues; and (c) wound closure by sutures. The reparative outcomes were evaluated macroscopically and microscopically, employing semi-quantitative grading indices.


RESULTS
Laser soldering of incisions at T = 65 degrees C emerged as the optimal method achieving immediate wound sealing. This in turn induced accelerated reparative events characterized by a reduced inflammatory reaction, followed by minimal scarring and leading to a fine quality healing.


CONCLUSIONS
Temperature-controlled laser soldering offers an accelerated wound reparative process with numerous advantages over the conventional methods. Further investigations may reveal additional benefits in the spectrum of advantages that this innovative surgical technology has to offer. This can introduce new scientific insight that will pave the way for clinical use.
Simhon
David
D
School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel. davidsi@post.tau.ac.il
Brosh
Tamar
T
Halpern
Marisa
M
Ravid
Avi
A
Vasilyev
Tamar
T
Kariv
Naam
N
Katzir
Abraham
A
Nevo
Zvi
Z
D000818:Animals; D062109:Dermatologic Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D053685:Laser Therapy; D011817:Rabbits; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology; D013536:Suture Techniques; D014945:Wound Healing