In vivo comparison of THC:YAG laser welding to sutured closure of biliary tissue

Percutaneous endoscopic approaches to cholelithiasis are an alternative to extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy which offer advantages of fewer restrictions on stone size and type as well as avoidance of fragmented stone passage complications. Endoscopic techniques would be facilitated by methods of welding gallbladder tissues. The technical constraints imposed by the endoscopic approach favor nonsuture methods of fusing gallbladder tissues. To evaluate a laser method for fusing biliary tissue, we have compared the healing response of laser-welded versus polyglycolic acid suture-closed incisions in canine gallbladder tissue in vivo. The laser used was a thulium-holmium-chromium:YAG laser producing 200-microsecond, 300-millijoule pulses at 2.15 microns. Serial sacrifice of dogs that underwent laser or suture closure of incisions made in the fundus of the gallbladder revealed that all repairs healed without evidence of leakage or infection. Laser-welded cholecystotomy sites had complete fibrous healing of the wound by two weeks postoperatively and reepithelialization by three weeks after operation. Suture-closed wounds were still without complete epithelization four weeks after the procedure. Laser welding may be a useful technique in endoscopic biliary surgery.