Anesthetic technique for safe laser use in surgery.

The use of lasers has simplified, shortened, and made less traumatic many surgical procedures. It has also increased the range of conditions amenable to treatment in all of the surgical specialties. There are, however, potentially serious hazards associated with the surgical use of lasers. The most serious hazards are explosions and fire, particularly during surgery on the airway, where flammable material, i.e., the endotracheal tube, high oxygen concentrations, and the laser, which is a high energy ignition source, are in close proximity. This report deals with techniques of anesthesia delivery that minimize the risks to the patient and operating room environment consequent on laser use in the airway. Laser use elsewhere in or on the body is associated with no greater danger than the use of electrocautery and requires no special anesthetic adaptation.