Behavior of Some Enzymatic Activities in the Serum of Rabbits after Tissue Damage by CO2 Laser Radiation

A comparative evaluation of the biochemical damage observed after tissue injury by highpower CO2 laser, scalpel, and electrical diathermy has been made in rabbits. The tissue injury consisted of surgery performed by making two perpendicular linear cuts on the muscle of the posterior thigh. At different times after surgery, enzymatic levels of creatine kinase, aspartate amino transferase, and lactate dehydrogenase were determined in the serum. Only creatine kinase showed an increase, and it was lower in both extent and dispersion in the animals treated with CO2 laser. The results suggest that CO2 laser radiation caused damage to muscular tissue which was moderately lower compared to that from scalpel or electrical diathermy.