What is Laser Surgery?
Laser surgery is an important medical breakthrough that we utilize often. LASER stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. A Laser is an opto-electronic device that produces highly concentrated light rays to cut tissue by vaporizing through cell layers.
Interaction of laser light with tissue provides a fundamentally different approach to surgery. In laser surgery, a highly focused laser beam can efficiently ablate (either vaporize or chip away) the living tissue. At the same time, it seals (welds) capillaries, small blood vessels, lymphatics, and nerve endings, with significant benefits to both patients and surgeons.
The surgical laser is recognized in both Veterinary and Human Medicine for the significant benefits it provides the patient and the surgeon. The laser can be used for almost any surgical procedure, including spaying and neutering, but it is particularly recommended for surgery of the eyelids, such as correction of entropion or ectropion and distichiasis, declawing of cats repair of elongated soft pallete and stenotic nares, and removal of warts, masses and tumors.
Laser Surgery – Benefits for Patients
- Less Pain – The CO2 laser beam seals nerve endings as it cuts through tissue. This reduces the amount of pain the patient feels during surgery and patient experiences a far more comfortable post-operative recovery.
- Reduced Bleeding – The CO2 laser beam cauterizes and seals small blood vessels as it cuts. This laser energy achieves hemostasis and provides the surgeon with a bloodless surgical field in most procedures. This drastic reduction on bleeding also enables a number of new surgical procedures that are not practical with conventional scalpel.
- Reduced Swelling – There is no physical contact between the laser and the surgical region, eliminating the tearing and bruising of tissue associated with traditional surgical methods. Lymphatic vessels are also sealed.
- Reduced Infection – Laser energy acts as an antibacterial agent by producing high temperatures, effectively eliminating microorganisms. This is one of the unique features of the CO2 laser beam; it efficiently kills bacteria in its path, producing a sterilizing effect
- Quicker Recovery – As a result of all of the above, laser surgery provides the benefits most will appreciate, a quicker recovery for your pet
Laser Surgery Benefits for Surgeons
- Laser surgery improves many surgical procedures by making them simpler and reducing risk.
- It gives a better field of vision with less blood.
- The laser can also be adjusted to a very fine beam for more precise removal of tissue.