The use and evaluation of CO2 laser in cleft palate surgery

Experimental studies with Rhesus monkeys showed that lateral relaxation sutures used for the reconstruction of the cleft palate can be set without any loss of blood and that epithelialization is almost complete 10 days after the operation. Clinical measurements of blood loss showed a mean blood loss of 13.4% for 30 conventionally operated cleft palates and 8.6% for 10 operated with a CO2 laser. With partial use of the laser, this corresponds to a reduction in the operation-related blood loss of 36%. The findings show that routine use of the CO2 laser for reconstruction of a cleft palate can currently be recommended for paramarginal relaxation sutures in bridge and pedicled flap methods, thereby reducing the blood loss considerably below the mean shock threshold of 10%.