Histological Alterations After Holmium:YAG Laser Irradiation
O Sahap ATIK, Deniz ERDOGAN, Suna OMEROGLU, Mahmut N DURAL, Metin L BAYDAR
Gazi University, Medical Faculty Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology Besevler, Ankara, TURKEY
Keywords: Holmium:YAG Laser,Cartilage,Meniscus
Abstract
Objective: Some authors reported cases with articular cartilage damage following arthroscopic laser surgery in the knee joint.We carried out an experimental study to evaluate the histological alterations after irradiation of cartilage and meniscus using holmium:YAG laser. Materials and
Methods: The cartilage and meniscus specimens in a saline immersion were exposed to holmium:YAG laser irradiation. Total laser energy used in these procedures was 1.5 Kjoules for cartilage and 2-6 Kjoules for meniscus.
Results: Histological evaluation using light microscope demonstrated that the structure of the cartilage and meniscus were preserved in both experiment and control groups.
Conclusion: When holmium:YAG laser is used in optimal dosage,with optimal technique and in optimal time; cartilage and meniscus damage were not demonstrated with histological evaluation using light microscope.