title: Temperature-controlled laser-soldering system and its clinical application for bonding skin incisions.
abstract: Laser tissue soldering is a method of repairing incisions. It involves the application of a biological solder to the approximated edges of the incision and heating it with a laser beam. A pilot clinical study was carried out on 10 patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Of the four abdominal incisions in each patient, two were sutured and two were laser soldered. Cicatrization, esthetical appearance, degree of pain, and pruritus in the incisions were examined on postoperative days 1, 7, and 30. The soldered wounds were watertight and healed well, with no discharge from these wounds or infection. The total closure time was equal in both methods, but the net soldering time was much shorter than suturing. There was no difference between the two types of wound closure with respect to the pain and pruritus on a follow-up of one month. Esthetically, the soldered incisions were estimated as good as the sutured ones. The present study confirmed that temperature-controlled laser soldering of human skin incisions is clinically feasible, and the results obtained were at least equivalent to those of standard suturing.
authors.affiliation: Tel Aviv University, School of Physics and Astronomy, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Simhon
authors.affiliation: Tel Aviv University, School of Physics and Astronomy, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.
authors.forename: Ilan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gabay
authors.affiliation: Israel Institute of Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa 32000, Israel.
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shpolyansky
authors.affiliation: Tel Aviv University, School of Physics and Astronomy, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.
authors.forename: Tamar
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vasilyev
authors.affiliation: Omrix Biopharmaceuticals Ltd., R&D Department, Nes-Ziona 76106, Israel.
authors.forename: Israel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nur
authors.affiliation: Omrix Biopharmaceuticals Ltd., R&D Department, Nes-Ziona 76106, Israel.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meidler
authors.affiliation: Ha'Emek Medical Center, Department of Surgery B, Afula 18101, Israel.
authors.forename: Ossama Abu
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Hatoum
authors.affiliation: Tel Aviv University, School of Physics and Astronomy, Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.
authors.forename: Abraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Katzir
authors.affiliation: Israel Institute of Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa 32000, Israel.
authors.forename: Moshe
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hashmonai
authors.affiliation: Israel Institute of Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa 32000, IsraeldHa'Emek Medical Center, Department of Surgery B, Afula 18101, Israel.
authors.forename: Doron
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kopelman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic / Q000379:methods; D041761:Cholecystolithiasis / Q000601:surgery*; D062109:Dermatologic Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D007834:Lasers; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology*; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013537:Sutures; D013696:Temperature; D013718:Tensile Strength; D014945:Wound Healing; D055815:Young Adult