Partial nephrectomy with a combined CO2 and Nd:YAG laser: Experimental study in pigs

✍ Scribed by Dr. Kimmo Taari; Jaakko O. Salo; Sakari Rannikko; Stig Nordling

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1994
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 365 KB
• Volume: 14
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0196-8092
• DOI: 10.1002/lsm.1900140108

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Twenty‐eight partial nephrectomies were performed on nine pigs with a simultaneous, coaxial CO~2~‐Nd:YAG laser at power settings of 20 W and 40 W, or with a steel scalpel. A vascular pedicle clamp was used without renal cooling. The time for hemostasis was 4.5 ± 3.2 min (mean ± SD) with the laser and 6.4 ± 2.5 min with the steel scalpel (P = 0.064). There was no difference in the total operation time (10.4 ± 3.5 min with the laser vs. 11.0 ± 3.2 min with the steel scalpel, P = 0.470). The mean blood loss with the laser was 17.5 ± 6.7 g and 22.1 ± 15.2 g with the steel scalpel (P = 0.299). The number of ligatures needed for complete hemostasis was 2.9 ± 2.1 with the laser and 5.0 ± 2.3 with the steel scalpel (P = 0.011). The average thermal damage was 0.23 ± 0.10 mm. It is concluded that the simultaneous CO~2~‐Nd:YAG laser method can be used in partial nephrectomy and it offers better hemostasis than the conventional technique. Further studies with different power levels are needed. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.