[Yag laser photocoagulation and monopolar electrohydrocoagulation: randomized study of the hemostatic effect on...

The purpose of this randomized study was to compare the effects of two methods of hemostasis--photocoagulation using YAG Neodyme laser and liquid monopolar electrocoagulation--on acute experimental bleeding ulcers created in the dog stomach with an ulcer-maker. One hundred and fifty-three lesions were made and randomized into 3 groups; 51 lesions were treated with photocoagulation and complete hemostasis was achieved in all cases. Hemostasis was obtained in 80 p. 100 of 51 ulcers treated with liquid electrocoagulation. Control untreated ulcers remained hemorrhagic after 45 min of observation. The mean external muscle injury on day 7 was 55 p. 100 after photocoagulation and 65 p. 100 after liquid electrocoagulation. On day 14, mean external injury was 60 p. 100 after photocoagulation and 75 p. 100 after liquid electrocoagulation (non-significant difference). On day 7, the mean re-epithelization index, expressed as the percentage of the original ulcer diameter, ranged from 8 to 10 p. 100 in each trial group. On day 14, reepithelization covered 78 p. 100 of control ulcers and 72 p. 100 of photocoagulated ulcers (NS). This percentage falls to 47 p. 100 in ulcers treated with liquid electrocoagulation (p less than 0.01 when compared with ulcers treated with photocoagulation). Photocoagulation seemed to be more efficient in ensuring hemostasis and external muscle injury was correlated with the energy delivered. External muscle injury could not be controlled by liquid electrocoagulation. However the difference in the percentages of mean external muscle injury between the two methods was not significant. Therefore, in man, the risk of perforation is certainly slight and not very different whatever the method of hemostasis considered.