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Contact laser or conventional cholecystectomy: a controlled trial
A C Steger1, K M Moore, N Hira
1Oldham and District General Hospital, UK.
The British Journal of Surgery
|March 1, 1988
Summary
Contact laser surgery using neodymium yttrium aluminium garnet (Nd: YAG) lasers did not offer advantages over conventional surgery. This study found increased operating time and wound infections with laser use in cholecystectomy.
Area of Science:
- Surgical Innovation
- Minimally Invasive Techniques
- Laser Applications in Medicine
Background:
- Claims suggest laser surgery reduces operative blood loss, trauma, and pain, while improving mobility.
- Advancements in sapphire probes enable direct-contact low-power laser surgery with neodymium yttrium aluminium garnet (Nd: YAG) laser light.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare cholecystectomy performed by conventional methods versus contact laser surgery.
- To evaluate operative time, blood loss, operative stability, analgesic requirement, mobility, and response to surgical trauma.
Main Methods:
- A small randomized controlled trial was conducted.
- Conventional cholecystectomy (n=11) was compared to contact laser cholecystectomy (n=10).
Main Results:
- The laser surgery group experienced a significantly increased length of operating time (P=0.001).
- A significantly higher wound infection rate was observed in the laser surgery group (P=0.051).
- No significant differences were found in blood loss, operative stability, analgesic requirement, or mobility.
Conclusions:
- Contact laser surgery with Nd: YAG lasers did not demonstrate advantages over conventional surgical methods for cholecystectomy.
- The laser approach resulted in longer operating times and increased wound infections.
- Further research may be needed to explore potential benefits or refine laser surgical techniques.