25 years of laser assisted vascular anastomosis (LAVA): what have we learned?

OBJECTIVES

Laser assisted vascular anastomosis (LAVA) has been developed to a stage where clinical use is within reach. Advantages of LAVA are minimal vessel damage, faster operation and the potential for minimally invasive application.

DESIGN

A Medline literature search was performed on vessel welding combined with cross-referencing.

RESULTS

Four different lasers have mostly been used for LAVA, always in combination with stay sutures. The CO(2) laser has only been used in the early period. Without solder, mean leaking point pressures (LPP) of 754 mmHg (n=75) were obtained, only slightly lower than in suture controls (LPP=915 mmHg, n=82). At follow-up the percentage of aneurysms was high (overall 12% in n=486). Although Argon LAVA showed moderate success (LPP=146 mmHg, n=125), the first clinical application has been successfully performed. Diode LAVA in combination with solder and dye resulted in an acceptable LPP of 409 mmHg (n=163) in larger vessels, with a low incidence of aneurysm formation (1% in n=107).

CONCLUSION

At present the diode laser is the most popular. Solder developments resulted in stronger welds and might make stay sutures redundant. The combination of CO(2) laser and solders has not been evaluated and deserves further investigation.