Laser assisted microvascular anastomosis of arteries and veins: laser tissue welding.

Using a milliwatt CO2 laser, a series of 160 arteries and 105 veins have been anastomosed in Wistar rats. Three stay sutures and a laser tissue welding technique were used. These were compared with a series of conventionally sutured vessels in terms of patency, speed and ease of procedure, and aneurysm formation. Patency rates of successful first time anastomoses are comparable with conventional suturing methods but the aneurysm rate is higher. Laser assisted anastomosis is faster to learn and perform than conventional suturing, but microsurgical skills are still needed. Despite the large number of variables the laser assisted technique has a high success rate, and work to minimise variables and optimise the laser parameters may improve these results.