Laser-assisted trachea anastomoses in dogs.

Tracheal anastomoses are known to be related to special surgical risks. We performed laser-assisted trachea anastomoses in 10 Beagle dogs, using an Argon-laser system and a handheld quarz fiber for energy transmission. All animals showed an uneventful postoperative course without signs of infection, air-leakage or respiratory impairment. Pathologic examination revealed no significant stenosis but a normal reconstruction of the tracheal endothelium and a normal woundhealing with only an increased connective tissue reaction. Because of the lower tensile strength of laser-assisted anastomoses in general, three adapting absorbable sutures should be left in situ to increase the resistance against mechanical stress. Under these circumstances laser-assisted anastomoses seem to be a promising additional method in the field of tracheal reconstruction and transplantation.