title: [Gallbladder ablation with a laser in an animal model].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Attempts to remove the gallbladder by non-surgical means began in the 1980's, by applying chemicals, heat or laser to remove its mucosa and reduce it to an innocuous scar. The aim of this work is to determine whether complete ablation of this organ is possible using total ablation by applying a diode laser.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty rabbits were divided into 3 groups of 10 animals. The gallbladder was surgically accessed and a 980 nm diode laser was applied endoluminally using fibre optics until it shrunk. Ethanol was used as a sclerosing agent plus a fibrin tail to seal the gallbladder lumen in one of the control groups, and a physiological solution was used in the rest. The animals were slaughtered at 65 days and the results of the procedure were observed macroscopically and histologically, evaluating the remains of the gallbladder lumen, fibrosis, and areas of re-epithelialisation. Statistical analysis was made using the Fisher test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight of the gallbladders treated by laser disappeared leaving a small sub-hepatic scar. There were no complications during or after surgery. The results were successful in only case in the ethanol group, and there was no ablation with physiological solution. The comparison of the results showed a significant positive difference in the group treated with laser compared to those with ethanol plus fibrin tail (P<.0055) and the physiological solution (P<.0007).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ablation of the gallbladder using a diode laser was possible in this experimental model.
authors.affiliation: Unidad Hospitalaria de Cirugía n.° 1, Hospital Nacional de Clínicas, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, República Argentina. joverclos@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Rafael José
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Jover Clos
authors.forename: Germán Oscar
authors.initials: GO
authors.lastname: Javurek
authors.forename: Juan Pablo
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Alamo
authors.forename: María Elisa
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Dionisio de Cabalier
authors.forename: Héctor Faustino
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Bustos
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gramática
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002763:Cholecystectomy / Q000379:methods*; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D011817:Rabbits