Over 90 Total Lots Up For Auction at One Location - WA 04/08

Surgical lasers and energy-based devices for surgery

by Andrea Alstad, Marketing & Communications Coord, ASLMS | February 25, 2015
Andrea Alstad
From the January/February 2015 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine

Lasers and other light technologies can be applied to a wide variety of open, minimally invasive (e.g. laparoscopic) and robotic surgeries in general surgery and other surgical disciplines. Laser light can be very highly focused and precise, making these devices desirable for cutting tissue in place of a scalpel. Lasers can seal lymph vessels to reduce swelling, limit the spread of bacteria and tumor cells, and shrink or destroy tumors and other lesions.

Dr. Raymond J. Lanzafame

“These sophisticated devices produce highly precise and controllable effects on tissues,” explains Dr. Raymond J. Lanzafame, a board-certified surgeon, expert in laser applications and research and past president and current CME director for the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery.“Each laser wavelength has a characteristic effect on tissue based on the degree to which the light energy is absorbed, scattered, reflected or transmitted through the tissues and how the energy is delivered to the intended target tissue. The combination of the laser tissue interaction and the selection of the appropriate delivery systems and laser parameters determines the ultimate effects of laser use on the conduct and outcomes of surgery.”

Lasers allow the appropriately trained and skilled surgeon to accomplish more complex tasks, reduce blood loss, decrease postoperative discomfort, reduce the chance of wound infection, decrease the spread of some cancers, minimize the extent of surgery in selected circumstances and result in better wound healing.

So the overall advantage of the use of lasers in surgery is the ability to improve patient outcomes. In general, with the appropriate use of laser technology, the patient experiences less pain, bleeding, swelling and scarring, plus a reduced risk of infection. Ultimately, with these advantages, the length of the recovery period should be shorter and the patient is able to return to normal activities faster.

The majority of so-called “laser surgeries” actually use the laser device in place of other tools such as scalpels, electrosurgical units, cryosurgery probes, or microwave devices to accomplish a standard procedure like mastectomy (i.e. breast surgery) or cholecystectomy (i.e. surgical removal of the gallbladder). The surgeon’s understanding of safety procedures and proper training are critical. The benefits are considerable, if the laser is used appropriately by a skilled and properly trained surgeon.

You Must Be Logged In To Post A Comment