Healing and tensile strength of CO2 laser incisions and scalpel wounds in rabbits.

An experimental model was designed in order to compare the results of wound healing after skin incision by CO2 laser and scalpel. The skin of 36 rabbits was incised by a CO2 laser with a 15-W current output and by scalpel. The wounds were tested for tensile strength and histology after healing up to 4 weeks to determine if scalpel wounds differed from those made by the laser beam. Tensile strength tests showed that the wound incised by the laser beam was initially stronger up to 3 weeks; thereafter, the strength of both types of wounds was equal. Histologic preparations showed partial necrosis of the wound edges and a more extensive inflammation response in laser beam incisions which disappeared gradually from 2 weeks after incision. Because of initial stronger scar following laser beam incision as compared with scalpel incision, early mobilization of the operated limb is possible.