Effect of the carbon dioxide laser on viability of ear cartilage in a rabbit model

The carbon dioxide (CO2) laser can be used for rapid, detailed sculpting of cartilage for creation of an ear framework for reconstruction of microtia. Clinical and animal studies of the effect of the CO2 laser have noted good healing with little evidence of a zone of tissue injury adjacent to the laser incisions. The current study has investigated the longer term effect of CO2 on chondrocyte viability in a rabbit ear model in which the laser has been used to incise autogenous cartilage segments for implantation into subcutaneous pockets. Over a 3-month period, the conformational integrity of the segments, when compared to segments incised with a scalpel, was no different. However, radioactive sulfur uptake studies to assess the viability of chondrocytes indicated a decrease in chondrocyte density in those specimens that have been subjected to laser incisions. Although other studies of acute cellular injury indicate that the CO2 laser may be beneficial for cartilage incision and sculpting, the current study indicates that resorption over longer periods of time might be encountered as a consequence of decreased chondrocyte viability in the vicinity of the laser incisions.