HEALING OF Nd:YAG LASER INCISION IN TONGUE OF RABBITS COMPARED WITH SCALPEL INCISION, AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY

Kamal Ahmad Saeed

Ismaeel Ibrahim Mahmood

University of Sulaimani, Faculty of Medical Sciences

School of Medicine, Department of Surgery

Shorsh Dental Centre, Sulaimani City.

HEALING OF Nd:YAG LASER INCISION IN TONGUE OF RABBITS COMPARED WITH SCALPEL INCISION, AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY

ABSTRACT

Background

The incision quality and healing postoperatively are the main goals for the surgeon. Many different laser wavelengths have been used in the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery with many advantages, especially because of their high properties (like selective physical properties, the wave length works in a deeper skin structure and it can be applied for removal of vascular lesion).

Objective

The aim of this study was to compare wound healing in the tongue of rabbits grossly and histologically, after a surgical procedure with Nd:YAG laser and scalpel.

Methods

Twelve healthy local breed Rabbits were used in this study; their average age was (2-6) months, divided in to 3 groups, each group includes 4 rabbits. Two parallel incisions using Nd:YAG laser and a scalpel were performed in the tongue of each rabbit. Power level of 3 Watts was used for the laser incisions. Biopsies were taken from group I after 3 days, group II after 5 days and group III after 7 days.

Results

Grossly, it was found that wound closure (healing) occurred in all of the wounds in scalpel incisions, while it did not occur in Nd:YAG laser incision at 3 and 5days, but seen at 7 days post operatively. Histologically, it was found that wound closure (healing) occurred in all of the wounds in scalpel incisions, while it did not occur in Nd:YAG laser incision at 3, 5 and 7 days post operatively.

Conclusion

When compared with traditional surgical procedure, several valuable characteristics of Nd:YAG laser were found; laser produced precise surgical incisions that did not require suture, with little bleeding tendency which simplified the surgical phase. The disadvantage of laser systems is represented by histologically evident thermal destruction around the laser beam incision and thermal damage caused delayed healing process. Healing of the scalpel incision was faster than Nd:YAG laser incision because scalpel wounds did not cause any thermal damage to the incised tissues.

Keywords: Healing, Nd: YAG laser incision, Tongue of rabbit, Scalpel incision.

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