Carbon dioxide laser applications in thoracic surgery

The use of laser for thoracic surgery is increasing with research and bringing new techniques to the clinical level. The carbon dioxide laser has been used for thoracic surgery to make thoracotomy incisions, to cut the muscular plains, to resect peripheral tumors, to cut interlober fissures, to resect off chest wall tumors, and to treat empyema, with minimum tissue trauma and blood loss. We have developed a method for treating recurrent and persistent pneumothorax with a carbon dioxide laser that we call laser vaporization of parietal and visceral pleurae. Since January 1985, 49 pneumothoraces have been treated with excellent results.