[Carbon dioxide laser in pulmonary surgery]

Carbon dioxide laser (Skalpel-1 laser device) with a power of 30 to 80 Wt was used in operations on the lungs in 42 patients with focusing or defocusing of the beam, depending on the purpose--incision of the pulmonary tissue or bronchus, hemostasis or aerostasis. Among the patients subjected to operation, 21 had echinococcosis, 6 had bronchiectasis, 4 had a chronic abscess, 3 had an acute abscess of the lungs complicated by pyothorax, 3 had bullous disease, 2 had bronchogenic cysts, and 2 patients had hemangiopericytoma and fibroma of the lungs. The authors claim that carbon dioxide laser shortens the duration of the operation, reduces intraoperative blood loss, ensures reliable hemo- and aerostasis, creates conditions for healing of the bronchial stump by first intention, facilitates maintenance of a large volume of the remaining lung segments, and produces an antiscolex effect in echinococcectomy++ from the lung.