CONTACT DIODE-LASER MICROVASCULAR ANASTOMOSIS

Contact diode laser microvascular anastomosis appears to be a valuable technique for anastomosing small arteries and veins. Significantly le ss foreign body reaction and markedly decreased operative time has bee n shown to be a major advantage of using contact diode laser technolog y. The authors have found that contact diode laser anastomosis can be performed in vessels as small as 1 mm in size using a 200-mum flat tip synthetic sapphire probe. Light microscopy has shown a significant de crease in foreign body reaction at the level of the anastomosis using laser techniques as compared to standard vessel anastomosis with 10-0 nylon sutures. The role of fibronectin and changes in collagen associa ted with laser anastomosis were also explored. Light microscopic elect ron-microscopic results as well as biotin-avidin immunoperoxidase fibr onectin studies will be discussed.