Stitched up with a laser

28 November 2008

Scientists have created a gadget that seals up flesh wounds with a quick zap of a laser. Could this be the end for surgical stitches? Antenna dissects the evidence...

Doctors have been sewing up patients for thousands of years, but stitches can leave a scar and bacteria sometimes sneak in between the gaps.

Image: Francoise Sauze/Science Photo Library

Lasers cut through flesh by heating the water inside cells until they burst.

Image: NIH/Custom Medical Stock Photo/Science Photo Library

Surgeons use lasers instead of scalpels in many operations - from removing tumors to eye surgery. Lasers can be used to make very precise incisions and, as the beam of light kills bugs, they automatically sterilise the wound.

Lasers don't just cut flesh, they can mend it too. But past attempts haven't been very successful. Controlling the intensity of the laser beam isn't easy. If the laser-heated cut is too hot or too cold the wound won't seal properly.

To overcome this problem, Israeli scientists worked out the precise temperature for binding flesh: 65 degrees Celsius. They then created a pen-sized tool that combines a laser with a heat sensor to ensure that the wound stays at the correct temperature.

The heat generated by the laser binds flesh together, but no-one knows exactly how this process works.

Image: Abraham Katzir

The team tested their laser device on pigs and then on people. In both, the laser-sealed wounds healed faster and were less prone to infection than cuts treated with surgical stitches.

'We expect laser bonding to work on all types of soft tissue - skin, muscle, kidneys, cornea, intestines, even blood vessels. Harder tissues like cartilage might be more difficult, but we're looking into it.' Abraham Katzir, medical laser expert

Thirty days after surgery laser-bonded cuts (right)have healed faster and appear smaller than those sewn up with needle and thread (left).

Image: Abraham Katzir

What's the next step?

'Once we've finished monitoring how our patients' wounds heal we'll publish our results. So far we've treated cuts of about 2-3 cm. Now we want to try out laser bonding on much bigger wounds.' Abraham Katzir

'We hope to make the device commercially available as soon as possible. It's easy enough for nurses or technicians to use, so it could free up surgeons' time for other jobs.'

Abraham Katzir, University of Tel Aviv, Israel.

Image: Abraham Katzir

So have lasers got it all sewn up?

'Laser sealing could be great for keyhole surgery, where stitching up cuts inside the body requires an enormous skill and can take a very long time. A laser could do the job much quicker.' Abraham Katzir

The scientists think their laser device is amusingly similar to the 'dermal regenerator' in Star Trek.

Image: Paramount Pictures/CBS Studios

'I believe this device may be revolutionary - it could bring about a major change in medicine.' Abraham Katzir

What do other laser experts think?

'I explored this area of research some years ago. We didn't control the temperature, so that may explain why they've had some success. But without published data it's hard to say how important this work is.' Stephen Bown, medical laser expert, University College London