Experimental hemiglossectomy with an argon laser on tongues from dead humans and of liver rabbits.

On 8 tongues of decreased humans and 2 live rabbit tongues, drilling and incision experiments were performed using an argon laser. With a power of 50 W a hemiglossectomy was performed in 3-4 min. The average thickness of the tongue was 2 cm and the incision length 10 cm. It was shown on the liver rabbit tongue that no bleeding occurs during a partial hemiglossectomy except at the arteria lingualis. The macroscopical and histological changes of the tissue are described, viz, the carbonization zones, the irreparable cell damage and the coagulation and the hyperaemic edge. The cutting speeds and the incision and drilling data for tongues of varying thickness provide information on the technical conditions for clinical application. In addition, temperatures in the tissue during incision were recorded. The advantages of laser surgery of the tongue are compared with those achieved with the electric knife and scalpel.