Laser therapy has gained wide acceptance and application in many medical di
sciplines. Nevertheless, during surgical procedures, the thermal destructio
n of tissue creates a smoke plume. Recent research data indicate that pyrol
ysates liberated during vaporisation of tissue induce DNA damage. However,
assessing potential health hazards during medical laser treatment requires
comprehensive insight into the cytotoxic, genotoxic, clastogenic and mutage
nic capacity of laser pyrolysis products (LPP). Therefore, the aim of this
study was to evaluate the cytotoxic, genotoxic, clastogenic and mutagenic p
otential of substances resulting from laser irradiation. Four different typ
es of porcine tissues were irradiated with a surgical CO2 laser, the aeroso
ls were sampled under defined conditions and subjected to the SCE test, mic
ronucleus test and the HPRT test. The results showed that the pyrolysis pro
ducts are strong inducers of cytotoxic effects. The pyrolysis products indu
ced positive effects in the SCE test, micronucleus test and the HPRT test.
The ability and extent to induce genotoxic and mutagenic effects turned out
to be dependent on the type of tissue that had been irradiated. In general
, the effects were most pronounced with liver pyrolysate. In all test syste
ms, a clear dose relationship could be established In conclusion, we were a
ble to prove that the particulate fraction of laser pyrolysis aerosols orig
inating from biological tissues undoubtedly have to be classified as cytoto
xic, genotoxic, clastogenic and mutagenic. Therefore, they could be potenti
al health hazards for humans. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights res
erved.