In vitro ear cartilage shaping with carbon dioxide laser - An experimentalstudy

Deformed cartilage remodeling appears to be a challenge, as cartilage tends to keep its initial shape because of internal stresses. Cartilage can be r emodeled with heat, and this report describes the use of a CO2 laser beam f or in vitro cartilaginous tissue remodeling. Straight cartilage samples wer e removed from the ears of 21 rabbits deprived of perichondrium and remodel ed with the CO2 laser at an output power of 3 W, a spot diameter of 2 mm, a nd an exposure time of 0.5 second. The remodeled cartilages and control sam ples were implanted into the rabbits' backs and retrieved 6 to 12 months la ter. Histologic and morphological analysis showed that the irradiated carti lages retained both their shape and their viability. This may be a useful c linical technique for in situ remodeling of a deformed cartilage in operati ons such as septoplasty.