Wound healing after laser surgery.

Compared with scalpel wounds, CO2 laser wounds show delays in inflammation, collagen production, reepithelialization, and tensile strength in the early stages of healing. Some of these delays are similar to those seen with electrocautery and burn wounds. Later stages compensate for these early deficiencies, because scalpel and laser wounds become more similar in epithelialization and wound strength over time. Healed CO2 laser wounds tend to have less scar contraction than scalpel wounds. Débridement of initial laser wound char, tissue cooling techniques during lasering, and pulsed modes of laser delivery all seem to result in more rapid, favorable healing. Similar wound healing trends have been seen with the CO2 laser in bone, with other lasers, and with laser vascular and neural anastomosis. Biostimulation with low-level laser energy is a complex subject of ongoing investigations.