Diode-laser-assisted microvascular anastomosis: clinical and histological analysis on long-period follow-up

U.M.Reali1, R.Gelli1, V.Giannotti1, F.Gori2, R.Pini3, F.Toncelli3, U.Vanni3,1Cattedra di Chirurgia Plastica, University of Florence, Italy2lstituto di Anatomia Patologica, University of Florence, Italy3lstituto di Elettronica Quantistica, C.N.R., Florence; ItalyABSTRACTMicrovascular anastomoses on femoral vessels of rats and rabbits were performed by diode laser tissue welding inassociation with Indocyanine Green as photoenhancing chromphore. Satisfactory clinical results were obtained by reducingthe number of supporting stays. In this concern, the feasibility of this technique without any stay was demonstrated on ratfemoral arteries. Histological examination 90 days indicated a complete restoring of vessel structures with a wideproliferation of smooth muscle cells and negligible scar tissue.1. INTRODUCTIONThe use of diode laser radiation in association with Indocyanine Green (ICG) solution has been recently proposed tovascular welding1 .