Lactate dehydrogenase in laser incisions: A comparative analysis of skin wounds made with steel scalpel, electrocautery, superpulse—continuous wave mode carbon‐dioxide lasers, and contact Nd:YAG laser

Abstract

A histochemical method for demonstrating lactate dehydrogenase activity was used in addition to standard Van Gieson stain to study early alterations near wounds made in pig skin by steel scalpel, electrocautery, two modes of CO2 laser (the rapid super-pulse mode and the continuous wave mode), and contact Nd:YAG laser. The enzyme-free zone near the wounds made using the thermal knives appeared to be twice as wide as the necrotic zone observed with Van Gieson stain. In polarized light, the enzyme-free area showed two zones of equal width with respect to birefringence of collagen fibers. The zone lacking birefringence correlated well with that observed with Van Gieson stain. The birefringent zone represented functionally damaged tissue with more or less normal structures by light microscopy. The damage to adjacent tissue caused with the thermal knives seems to be considerably larger than has usually been reported.

Effects of overlap and pass number in CO2 laser skin resurfacing: A study of residual thermal damage, cell death, and wound healing

“…Because only viable cells show the active enzyme, this method provides a sensitive way for determining the depth of tissue necrosis. This method uses a nitrotetrazolium (NBT) salt, a redox indicator that turns blue in the presence of lactic dehydrogenase [14]. Three 4-mm punch biopsies were obtained from each treatment site, frozen in dry ice, and stored at −75°C.…”

Nd:YAG laser surgery for the excision of pilonidal cysts: A comparison with traditional techniques

“…Wound strength for both techniques after 14-21 days of recovery has been shown to be similar; however, until that point, wounds created with a steel scalpel blade were stronger [5,[10][11][12]13]. This finding may be attributed to the mild tissue coagulation at the edges of the wound or the increased inflammatory response caused by the Nd:YAG laser's thermal effects.…”

Healing of Bladder Wall after Contact and Non-Contact IMd-YAG Laser Photocoagulation

“…The histochemical demonstration of the LDH activity has previously been used to determine the precise extents of laser-induced lesions [17], Hukki et al [17], who also used polarized light for the examination of specimens, found that the enzyme-free zone close to the wound was twice as wide as the necrotic zone observed using van Gieson stain and light microscopy. In the present study, the histological demonstration of the LDH activity was used to determine the phase in which the regeneration began.…”