THE HISTOLOGY OF LASER THERMO-CHONDRO-PLASTY

Introduction: Giving a new shape to a cartilage graft has been a matte r of continuous study. In 1991, our group managed to change the shape of human nasal septal samples using CO2 irradiation. This procedure, w hich we call thermo-chondro-plasty, was achieved without the macroscop ic carbonization or ablation of the tissue. Methods: To study the ther mo-chondro-plasty effect of the CO2 laser irradiation on human nasal s eptal cartilage, samples were irradiated in selected laser parameters and then examined with light and electron microscopy. Results and Conc lusion: We believe that it was primarily the proteoglycan component of the matrix in which we induced the maximum alterations. The destructi on of their water-binding ability led to an uneven reduction of the in terlocked tensile stresses of the cartilage and resulted in its transf ormation. (C) 1994 by W.B. Saunders Company